My life is uncertain. I’m walking blindly. I cannot even see beyond the nose on my face. I’m scared. I’m unsure. But Who walks before me? Who knows my path? Who holds my future? Who’s got my life in His hand? Do I trust Him?

I am walking in perhaps the deepest valley of my life. The arrows of struggle are coming from all directions. I am uncertain where the path is leading. I am uncertain of God’s purpose in all of it. It is so deeply complex. Its deep wounds are oozing hurt. There are things I cannot change. Things which are beyond my control. Things which are not fair. They are ripping me apart. I’m tired of fighting so hard. I’m tired of holding everything together. I just want to run and hide or curl up in a ball and give up.

A few weeks ago, I read a verse.

Exodus 14:14
The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

At the time I thought it was simply a good reminder. However, I did not know how vital it would be in the coming weeks. Some battles are ours to fight. Some are within our control. Some we must fight. Others are not ours; they are God’s battles. Primarily when it pertains to the heart. When we are too loud, we don’t see God’s hand on our life (not because He isn’t working but we distract ourselves with our noisy hearts and minds). Our silence allows us to see God working and moving.

Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God.

That verse has been my favorite for the past two-and-a-half years. Be still, or silence, your heart before God. This can be literally—turning off social media or maybe your TV. Or this can be figuratively or an internal perspective. Silencing your circumstances. Not letting your deep struggles consume you but instead letting God be loud and clear. Waiting on God to work. Sometimes our emotions can react hastily and cause more problems than if we’d be patient and let God sort things out. Sometimes we think God’s not really doing anything at all only we forget that God’s work isn’t always visible, not always on our timeline or in our own way.

Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

He has orchestrated our lives from the very beginning. He has weaved His perfect plan and purpose throughout our circumstances and also weaved in a strand or two from those around us. Your life has purpose and your struggles have purpose.

Silencing ourselves doesn’t mean our problems will be solved immediately. It doesn’t mean the hurt will go away. But in time complete peace will fill our hearts as He changes and molds us. And our silent trusting will result in steadfastness, or endurance, amid trial and difficulty.

James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.