4 Lessons on Trusting God from 2 Bible Stories about Uncertainty

Inside: These 4 practical lessons from 2 Bible stories about uncertainty will help you navigate challenging times with hope, faith, and confidence. Learn how to trust God in uncertainty as you overcome fear and doubt.

I stared out the window with unseeing eyes, lost in thought and oblivious to life unfolding just beyond the pane of glass.

My skin felt tight and my breath escaped in shallow puffs as my heart rate increased.

Fear and panic were trying to take over my body but I fought them back. Losing it now wouldn’t result in good things. So I drew in a deep breath and silently chanted, “Stay calm. Be calm. You’re calm.”

I hadn’t seen this coming, this sudden upending change. I already felt like the reins of my life were slipping from my nervous, sweaty hands. It all felt like it would spin out of my control at any moment.

What should I do now? What would this mean going forward? Could I make it through this?

I drew another deep breath and turned from the window as I pumped the brakes on the questions flooding my mind.

I’d make a list—that was what I’d do. I’d make a list of the next logical steps, then I’d work through my list, checking each item off one by one. Yes, this was a good plan. I’d deal with the hurt later. The main thing now was to find my footing and take back control.

Then I wouldn’t feel uncertain anymore.

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Why You’re in Need of Bible Stories about Uncertainty

I’d just heard through the corporate grapevine. After 5 years of blood, sweat, tears, and knives in my back, my head was on the chopping block. Sure, I’d grown to hate my well-paying job, but it still felt like I’d taken a savage punch to the gut.

Of course, I felt betrayed. But even more, it was the uncertainty that had me in a panic.

You know what I mean. If you’re at all like me and most humans on Planet Earth, you dislike uncertainty with a passion. And who can blame you? Living with uncertainty is like having to wear a shirt made of sandpaper when you’re already suffering from a painful rash.

Maybe it’s the sudden loss of a job, even if you’re miserable at work. Sure, you wanted to move on but you should have been the one to decide, not them. Now, it’s unleashed all kinds of uncertainty in your life.

Maybe it’s a pay cut or a change in your employment terms. All of a sudden, your budget, lifestyle, and plans for your future don’t matter anymore. Uncertainty has you scrambling for a new plan, any plan.

Or maybe it’s betrayal in a relationship, even one where your man always hurts your feelings. One second, everything is normal in your well-organized life. The next second, the news drops from the sky like an earth-shattering meteor. Now you’re questioning everything you thought was true as you fight fear and uncertainty about where your relationship should go from here.

However it comes, uncertainty often brings an unwanted change in your circumstances. Tagging along for the ride are fear of the unknown, the disorientation of rules changing without warning, and the feeling like you’ve lost control over your life.

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Who or What Can You Trust in Uncertainty?

Uncertain times are aggravating, nerve-racking, and riddled with sleep-stealing anxiety. Uncertainty makes you wonder who or what you can trust. Heck, while you’re in it, you may even feel like a fool to have trusted the sense of safety you had before uncertainty struck.

Straight up, uncertainty sucks. It’s no wonder you avoid it at all costs, try to solve it at lightning speed, or let it overwhelm and paralyze you in indecision.

No matter how you react to uncertainty, you’re not alone. But fighting it, avoiding it, trying to solve it, or ignoring it are probably not the best ways to handle it.

Trusting God in uncertainty, though—this is a plan you can take to the bank.

The Bible is the perfect place to turn when you’re trying to navigate almost any life circumstance. From Hannah’s infertility to Jesus’ betrayal by Judas, you can find advice and comfort in God’s word about almost any situation confronting you.

This includes Bible stories about how to get through your current uncertainty, God’s way.

Let’s explore 2 Bible stories about uncertainty and see how the people facing tough, uncertain times made it through, having faith the whole way.

Then we’ll dig in and learn 4 practical lessons you can apply to your uncertain situation today.

Joseph’s Bible Story about Uncertainty Caused by Others

If you’re looking for a classic story of family betrayal, rejection, and intrigue, look no further than Joseph’s story in Genesis 37. But it’s so much more. This Bible story is also about how one man navigated extreme uncertainty in his life and won.

If you think your life is off-balance because of uncertainty, you should see Joseph’s!

Working in the family business, living in the lap of luxury in his rich dad’s tent, the second youngest and favorite among his dad’s 12 sons. Sure, his brothers hated him because of his dad’s favoritism but still…a good job, the lap of luxury, favorite son.

Joseph sure had it good. But his brothers’ jealousy—stoked by Joseph’s folly—boiled over and changed his circumstances in a heartbeat.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself in a pit, uncertain if he’d even live to see another sunset. As we know, he ended up alive but enslaved in Egypt.

But Joseph’s uncertain circumstances didn’t improve much from there. Instead, they kept changing.

First, he settled into his new master’s house, excelled in his work, and earned a position of trust. Then his master’s wife—with her lust, wounded pride from Joseph’s rejection, and false rape allegations—landed him in prison for 13 years (Genesis 39:11-20).

Partway through his prison term, Joseph helped a fellow inmate, then asked to be remembered when the inmate got out. He hoped his wrongful imprisonment would be overturned but the guy promptly forgot about Joseph for 2 more years.

Talk about uncertain times. Joseph’s whole life seemed to be controlled by the whims of others.

Joseph’s Story of How to Trust God in Uncertainty

Joseph went from the lap of luxury in his dad’s tent to the bottom of a pit at the hands of his brothers to a slave market in Egypt to a slave master’s house.

How on Earth did Joseph navigate all this uncertainty in his life? These Bible verses tell us.

The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master…so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.
Genesis 39:2, 4 (NLT)

Then in prison:

But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden…The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.
Genesis 39:21, 23 (NLT)

Joseph decided his best option was to trust God in his uncertain circumstances. As a result, he radiated so much excellence, his slave master and prison warder couldn’t miss or ignore him.

Does this mean Joseph was super-chill about all the uncertainty in his life? He sure as heck wasn’t. He wasn’t even a little bit OK with the injustice of his various uncertain circumstances.

For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.
Genesis 40:15 (NLT)

But by trusting God, Joseph chose to do the right thing in every circumstance. In this case, it meant blooming where he was planted, even if it wasn’t a place he wanted to be. And in return, God faithfully honored Joseph’s trust.

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Moses’ Bible Story about Uncertainty Caused by God

Other people’s jealousy, lies, and ingratitude caused Joseph’s uncertain times. But what if God is the one who brings about the uncertainty in your life? What if He pushes you out of your comfort zone before you’re ready to leave it?

Moses knows how you feel.

Even if he wasn’t rolling in answers for what made him happy out in the wilderness in Midian—he was, after all, raised as a prince in Egypt—Moses was at least comfortable there.

He’d let go of his big dream to liberate his people from slavery. And he’d settled down to live a normal life. Marriage, babies, and working for his father-in-law—Moses’ life was the very picture of certainty.

Then along came God in the burning bush and upset Moses’ well-ordered life. All at once, God’s tantalizing promises brought Moses’ big dream roaring back to life.

Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 3:10 (NLT)

And Moses said, “Who, me? Nope, can’t do it. Find someone else.” Then he pulled out every excuse he could think of to excuse himself from God’s plan.

It seems like lunacy, right? Here was God giving Moses what he’d wanted 40 years before, and Moses wanted no part of it.

But isn’t it understandable? You’d probably do the same, at least at first.

You see, Moses had lost his confidence and hope. What if, like the last time he’d tried to free his people, he failed? Was it safe to give up the certainty of his settled life in Midian? What uncertain fate would he be leaping into if he went along with God’s mad plan of using him?

Moses’ Story of How to Trust God in Uncertainty

I wish I could tell you Moses decided to trust God fast and plunged headfirst into an exciting new adventure. But he didn’t.

But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Then the Lord became angry with Moses.
Exodus 4:13-14a (NLT)

Moses didn’t stem the flow of excuses spewing from his mouth until God got angry. Only then did Moses give in and decide he’d better trust God through the uncertain times coming at him like a runaway camel.

With this decision, Moses went all-in with God and became an unparalleled participant in God’s divine plan for His people.

This same Moses, who balked at trusting God. Who rejected God’s invitation to change his circumstances. Who flat-out refused to walk into uncertainty. This same Moses said:

I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God! He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (NLT)

What a beautiful, inspiring statement of faith and trust in God.

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4 Lessons on How to Trust God in Uncertainty

What can we learn from these 2 Bible stories about uncertainty? How do you trust God in uncertainty, whether it’s caused by others’ decisions or God’s divine appointment?

When Joseph rose to power in Egypt and found his repentant brothers under his thumb, he could have done whatever he wanted to them. Instead, he said:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

As for Moses, what more uncertain situation can you find than a whole tribe of ex-slaves wandering in a desert for an undetermined amount of time set by divine judgment?

When he accepted the job, he didn’t know they’d be out there for 40 years until the last of the rebels died out. Yet he kept leading them and trusting God the whole time.

How did Joseph and Moses become gold standards for trusting God in uncertainty? With the benefit of hindsight, what can we learn from these 2 Bible stories about uncertainty to boost your faith and strengthen your trust in God?

1. Accept inevitable uncertainty.

You may as well accept it: life is always uncertain. I hate to be the one to steal your innocence but you need to know the truth.

The fact is, the certainty you feel most of the time is a myth. It’s not real. It’s just your coping mechanism for the constant uncertainty of life.

This doesn’t mean you need to give up your coping mechanism, though. It helps make life bearable and keeps you from becoming a nervous, emotional wreck.

But you need to know and accept this basic truth of life: uncertainty will come. If you stop fighting this truth—if you stop telling yourself the unhelpful story that life shouldn’t be this way and God should always protect you from the pain of uncertainty—you won’t be surprised when uncertainty shows up.

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 (NLT)

You’ll suffer less when uncertainty strikes, because you expected it.

2. Trust God to have a plan.

Just because you didn’t see it coming doesn’t mean your uncertain times are a surprise to God. When uncertainty arises, God doesn’t need a minute to come up with a backup plan for your life. He’s God—He knows the end from the beginning.

So decide ahead of time to believe He has a plan for your uncertain circumstances. Decide to believe He’s working things out for your good and His glory.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 (NLT)

3. Do your part in prayer.

Expecting uncertainty ahead of time and deciding to believe God has a plan are great first steps. But don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t have a part to play when uncertainty strikes. You have responsibilities too.

Remember how your first instinct when uncertainty comes along is to fight, avoid, solve, or ignore it? How about you choose to stay calm and seek God instead?

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

This doesn’t mean you pray once and wait for God to magic up a solution to the uncertainty in your life. Remember, God is sometimes the one pushing you into uncertain times.

Instead, it means you pray about it as often and as much as you need to. This includes confessing to God the trouble you’re having with trusting Him through the uncertainty.

4. Get up and get to work.

Prayer isn’t your only job when you decide to trust God when you’re facing uncertainty. You also need to seek Him for your next best step.

This may mean making the now-what list you’re itching to write and getting to work on what’s on it. Or it may mean sitting with the uncertainty for a few days while you process it and let your emotions settle.

Seeking God for your next best step may mean staying in your uncomfortable new circumstances and—like Joseph—shining in excellence there. Or it may mean leaping into a scary new project as you—like Moses—trust God to be your safety net.

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)

Then you take the next best step God shows you, no matter how scared you are. You do it because you’ve decided you’re trusting Him despite the uncertainty.

Put These Bible Stories about Uncertainty to Work

I can’t tell you how many times I stood at my office window, staring out with blind eyes, worrying about the whispers of my name being on the corporate axe list. While I may have looked calm on the surface, underneath I was trying to beat back the fear and panic threatening to choke the life out of me.

I didn’t survive the corporate axe but I did make it to the other side of the uncertain times it ushered into my life. It was what started teaching me how to trust God in uncertainty.

Through job loss, the death of relationships, and countless uncertain life circumstances, you can use the lessons from our Bible stories on uncertainty to get you through.

Accept that uncertainty is inevitable.
Decide to trust God to have a plan to get you through the uncertainty.
Pray about the uncertainty as much and as often as you need to.
Get to work taking the next best step God shows you.

Plus, uncertain times are the perfect opportunity for learning to trust God. They’ll help you get rock-hard faith muscles, so don’t waste them.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Like Joseph and Moses in their Bible stories about uncertainty, make up your mind to trust God in it. He’ll do a better job than you ever can of getting you through uncertainty. Guaranteed.

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4 Life Lessons on Trusting God from 2 Bible Stories about Uncertainty