When Faith Shifts From Trusting God to Trusting Outcomes

When Confidence in Prayer Begins to Crumble

Recently, I have been struggling with confidence. Having prayed for healing and restoration for my husband for more than three years, I started losing confidence in prayer. Not only prayer, but in myself and my ability to do and accomplish things. Little things became so stressful that whenever I was faced with a challenge, however minute, I would become so stressed that I would feel physically ill. I sought God to understand what was happening to me. It wasn’t a big surprise when God gently pointed me to faith.

Confronting the Truth About My Faith

Listening to God, reading my Bible and meditating on God’s Word soon made it clear that I had shifted my focus from trusting God to trusting outcomes. I had to confront the truth. I had lost confidence because I hadn’t received the answers to my prayers. My focus shifted to my wants and away from God, and trusting Him regardless of whether I got what I wanted. That’s not faith. Whether I wanted to hear it or not, I had to accept that my “faith” turned into manipulation and control. It became about my wants and needs and not about God and His love, wisdom, and plans and purposes for our lives. Isaiah (one of my favorite books) warned: If you don’t take a stand in faith, you won’t have a leg to stand on” (Isaiah 7:9).

Choosing to Take a Stand in Faith

I had to take a stand about my faith and my beliefs. Would I bow down to my own desires, or would I stand firm? I revisited the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:17-18).

I was reminded that “Without faith, it’s impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).

What Real Faith Really Looks Like

I thought I had faith, but my gaze had shifted. My faith was in the wrong things. I sought God’s hand more than His presence. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego reminded me of what real faith is.

Real faith is not about receiving what we ask for. It’s about trusting God whether He answers our prayers and does what we ask or not. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that God was able to rescue them, but they had no guarantee that He would. Still, they were determined not to bow to anything other than the one true God (Dan 3:16-18).

Keeping My Focus on God in the Midst of Trouble

I know that in this world we will have trouble. Jesus assured us of this. But we also know that our victory is in Him. Our lives do not only consist of trouble. It depends on our focus. The things we focus on will become greater, and the things we ignore will diminish. I had to ask myself whether my troubles were greater than my God. The answer was a resounding no! Then why would I focus on the troubles, the challenges, and the unanswered prayers? Where did God fit into my picture?

Thankfully, God’s love and character never change, and He never becomes impatient with me. I could look into the mirror of the Word and make a course correction. God never moved. I did. I’m grateful for the opportunity of turning back to God and refocusing on Him and not myself or my desires. I trust Him. I don’t have to understand everything in order to trust Him. All I need to understand is that He loves me, He gave His life for me, and His plans and purposes for me are for good and not evil. Whatever circumstances I face, He is there with me. God is with us in our trouble (Psalm 34:19).

Editor Comment: The line you draw between seeking God's hand and seeking His presence is something many of us know but rarely admit out loud. Walking through three years of unanswered prayer and still arriving at "I trust Him" is not a small thing. I'm praying for your husband, and for you.

This article appeared on Medium and is reprinted with modifications and by permission.