Faith Through Confusion: Trusting God When We Don’t Understand
As I was reading recently, a particular psalm caught my attention. It was written in a moment of deep confusion and sorrow—after the destruction of Jerusalem. The author, Asaph, was witnessing the complete collapse of his people’s civilization: politically, economically, socially, and religiously. The weight of this devastation led him to cry out with honest questions, wrestling with what he saw around him.
And yet, the psalm does not end in despair. Despite his confusion, Asaph concludes with a powerful declaration of faith. He commits to praising God regardless of the Lord’s response—or lack of response. He chooses to trust in God’s character even when he cannot make sense of his circumstances.
There is something profoundly relatable about Asaph’s cry. When we face suffering, loss, or confusion, our natural response is often to ask “Why?” or “How could this happen?” Like Asaph, we find ourselves in the tension between what we know about God—His goodness, sovereignty, and faithfulness—and the painful realities of life that don’t seem to align.
“Why, O God, do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?”
(Psalm 74:1)
The psalm doesn’t shy away from questions. Asaph brings his confusion before God, unfiltered and raw. He doesn’t pretend to have it all together. Instead, he models something vital: in our confusion, the safest place to bring our doubts is before the Lord.
What stands out to me is this: Asaph’s confusion doesn’t shake his faith in who God is. Even when his world crumbled, he refused to forget God’s character. He may not have understood God’s plan, but he was unwavering in his belief that God was still worthy of praise.
How often do we place our faith in understanding instead of God Himself? We think that if we could just make sense of our circumstances, our hearts would feel at peace. But the truth is this:
Peace doesn’t come from understanding the plan. Peace comes from trusting the Planner.
Asaph ends his prayer with a powerful commitment to praise:
“But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.” (Psalm 79:13)
Even in his confusion, he declares that God’s people will praise Him—not just now, but for generations to come. This is a choice of faith. It’s saying, “God, I may not understand what You’re doing, but I will trust You. I will praise You regardless.”
This challenges me deeply. When I face my own confusion, I often find myself wrestling with the same questions: What is the Lord’s plan? Where is He in all of this? Yet, in those moments, I hear Him calling me to do what Asaph did:
To align my thoughts with His Word, rather than my circumstances.
To build my faith through worship and trust.
To remember that He is enough—even when I don’t have answers.
“You are enough, Lord. When I have You, I don’t need to understand.”
The reality is that we will all face seasons of confusion. Life will bring moments that don’t make sense, where God feels silent or distant, and where the pain feels overwhelming. In those moments, we have a choice:
Will we let our confusion drive us away from God, or will it drive us to Him?
Will we allow our circumstances to define our faith, or will we choose to trust God’s character over what we see?
Asaph shows us that it’s possible to hold our questions and our faith together. We can bring our confusion before God while declaring, “I will praise You regardless.”
If you’re in a season of confusion right now—where the answers are unclear and the path forward feels uncertain—I invite you to hold onto this truth:
God is still good. He is still sovereign. And He is still enough.
You don’t have to understand to worship. You don’t have to see the whole picture to trust the One who does. Let the Word of God anchor your heart and build your faith. Even when the world feels chaotic, your praise can become a declaration of trust in the unchanging God who holds all things together.
“Lord, in the midst of my confusion, help me to trust You. When I don’t understand Your plan, remind me of who You are. Align my thoughts with Your Word, and build my faith. You are enough, Lord, and I will praise You regardless. Teach me to trust You in the unknown and declare Your goodness for generations to come. Amen.”
May we be people who, like Asaph, cry out to God in honesty and choose to praise Him in faith—regardless of the answers we receive.
