Trusting God One Day at a Time
Sometimes life changes so suddenly that we cannot see beyond the next decision, the next conversation, or even the next few hours. That is where I found myself this past week when both of my elderly parents ended up in separate hospitals. I did not know what the days ahead would hold, but I knew I needed to go and trust God with each step along the way.
When I arrived, I had no clear sense of what to do or where any of this was leading. My dad had just undergone surgery and was experiencing severe postoperative delirium. He was confused, frightened, and not himself.
I had hoped he would soon be transferred to the hospital where my mother was receiving rehabilitation so they could be together. But as the days passed, his delirium grew worse, and that hope was shattered. I was told he would need to be moved to his home hospital, which I knew would be devastating for him.
I felt powerless to change anything. Watching my dad slip further into delirium left me feeling helpless. I wanted to reassure him, bring him comfort, and somehow make things better, but I often left his side feeling empty and deeply saddened by what he was going through. There were moments when the situation seemed hopeless, and I had no idea what the next day would bring.
Yet, through all the stress and uncertainty, I experienced a peace that surpassed my understanding. That peace came from my faith in God. I remembered the many difficult times I had faced before and how God had walked beside me and carried me through. I trusted that he would walk with me through this as well.
I could not see how everything would work out, but I believed that one day I would look back and see God's faithfulness, even in those painful and uncertain days. That hope kept me going, one day and one decision at a time.
Sometimes we look up at God and ask, "Why?" There is nothing wrong with bringing that question to him, but amid my questions, I also found myself saying, "Thank You." Even though I would never have chosen these circumstances, they gave me another opportunity to place everything in God's hands and watch for the ways he would provide, answer prayer, and make his presence known.
I often remember the old Sunday school song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." Its simple truth has stayed with me. When I am facing uncertainty, I remind myself that although I cannot understand everything God is doing, he sees what I cannot see.
Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours. God is not caught off guard by the circumstances of our lives, wondering what to do next. He remains faithful and completely in control, even when everything around us feels uncertain.
My responsibility was not to understand the entire journey. It was simply to trust the Lord with all my heart, refuse to depend solely on my own understanding, and take the next step he placed before me.
That is what walking by faith looked like for me this week: trusting God one uncertain day at a time.