I Want to Trust God, But How?

Deanna Bartalini considers how to let go of our anxieties and trust that God will help us take care of things.

Have you ever asked God for something you need or told Him to stop sending you trials? Or maybe, after a particularly rough day, week, month, or year, looked up toward the heavens and asked, “Why, Lord, why?” 

What are you lacking? 

Life can be complicated when you are simply going about it in an ordinary way. Throw in a stomach bug, travel baseball, or the breakdown of any home appliance, and it seems life spirals out of control. And we each have one thing that pushes us over the edge, from thinking, “Okay, I can do this, call this person, shift this appointment; problems solved." Then one more thing happens and you are not okay or sure of anything anymore.

For me, it is tiny ants. I live in Florida and bugs are everywhere, all year 'round. But every so often, they come in my house looking for water or escaping water, I’m not sure. They annoy me. No matter how much I clean or how many traps I set out, they mock me, congregating by the front door or in the bathroom. 

When life becomes hectic, I try to pause, asses, and reflect on what is necessary and what is not. I ask God to help me figure out what must be done and what I can let go of. I can recall many times that the hectic pace of my life was my own doing. I had trouble saying “no,” was striving for perfection, and wanted approval from others.  

Turn To God 

We cannot avoid difficult seasons in life. They are part of the human condition. We can, though, turn to God who will always give us what is necessary. Saint Catherine of Siena reminds us, “What you lack, God in his goodness will supply.” 

When I pray with this I realized: 

• We are lacking something.
• God knows that. 
• God is good. 
• God cares for us. 
• God will give us what we need. 

Each of us lacks something different, to a different degree; we are not perfect. In the last few weeks, I’ve come across people asking for more faith, patience, discernment, time, rest, motivation, peace, health, justice, understanding ... and the list can go on. I think as people of faith we can ask God for what we need, with humility and hope, and know that He will supply it, in His time.

I’ve noticed He supplies what we need when it is needed, which is different than when we want it. We want it now. We live in an instant world — information, food, media — all on-demand! But learning to live a virtuous life requires time and dependence on God.  

Do you sense I’m about to say that is where trust comes in? That’s because I doubt I am telling you anything that you don’t already know; we sometimes need a reminder. 

When we persevere, when we move forward when we are afraid or tired, not knowing all the curves in the path and feeling unprepared, remember these words, “What you lack, God in his goodness will provide” and keep trusting in God. That short quote is a prayer, an aspiration that lifts our mind toward God and fills our soul, I hope, with comfort and peace. For me, it is a reminder that it is not all up to me. God is right here, with each one of us! 

Two Ways to Pray

When you find yourself faltering in trust, consider one of these short prayers:  

Lord, teach me to rely on you, to reach out to you in prayer, and to lean on you always.   

Thank you, Lord, for your words give me comfort and remind me of your great love.   

What helps you turn to God and trust Him more fully?  

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Copyright 2025 Deanna Bartalini
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