I looked at the dangling power line with a wary eye. My husband drove the lead car in our little evacuation caravan and cleared the obstacle without incident. Still, I sat with my foot on the brake, contemplating the risk of getting electrocuted if I came into contact with the downed wire.

My family likes to joke that I am the official risk manager of our group. I’m always ready with a word of caution, an exhortation to “be careful,” or a backup plan in case things go sideways. But what good had that done me? Not a whole lot. The truth is, there are some things we simply cannot prepare for. Hurricane Helene was in my blind spot.

I found myself faced with several less-than-ideal options. My family had overstayed our rental at the North Carolina condo, and the landlord declined to extend our booking. Power was out, our food supply was low, and the main road we used to exit the neighborhood had washed out. I’m not talking about minor flood damage—a large portion of the road crumbled under the fury of rushing water and tumbled down the side of the mountain.

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
–Matthew 7:25 ESV

After waiting for several trees to be cleared from the neighborhood road, we gambled on the only other available exit route. We didn’t make it far before we were confronted with massive storm debris.

Wrestling with Trust

As I sat there, assessing our predicament, it occurred to me that trust is a tricky thing. I trust my husband as much as I trust anyone on this earth. But fear (or maybe common sense) made me hesitate.

I began to dwell on the concept of trust. What does it look like? How does it feel in our hearts? Does experiencing fear mean I’m not putting my trust in God? I looked at the devastation around me and called out to the Lord. I asked for protection and bravery, but still, I was afraid. I prayed as I gripped the steering wheel tightly, inching my way forward around the downed tree and under the tangled power line.

Facing Our Own Roadblocks

Have you ever been confronted with a situation that made you pause and look forward with a critical eye? Maybe it was an unwelcome diagnosis, a setback in recovery, or an accident that seemed to come out of nowhere. Suddenly, you’re less sure about things—less confident about both the path ahead and the outcome. Our roadblocks aren’t always literal ones.

It’s an uncomfortable place to be—caught in that space between the “before” and “after.” The shock, the trepidation that makes your skin crawl, the pit-of-the-stomach fear—these emotions don’t offer warm reassurances. Instead, they shake us to our core. We’re tempted to close our eyes to things we don’t want to see, close our ears to news we don’t want to hear, and—worst of all—close our hearts to Almighty God, who allowed this to happen.

Fear can drive us to a place of isolation, creating a perceived separation from the One who loves us. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Friend, God is right there with us, in the down-and-dirty midst of the chaos. We can trust Him in all circumstances, even when we’re tempted to run away. Fear is a natural response, but the Lord calls us away from it.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” –Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Trusting God Through Fear

Scripture acknowledges that we will have moments of fear. Jesus, our great High Priest, knows and understands our hearts. He guides us when we’re afraid, inviting us to trust Him. We just need to respond in faith.

Trust doesn’t mean we believe that illness will be cured or that a body will be perfectly restored after a stroke. It’s not a naïve belief that, because we follow Jesus, we’ll be spared from earthly trials. Trust is a commitment. We decide to trust when we lean on Jesus in our fear. He walks with us as we go, whether we’re navigating hospital corridors or driving under tangled power lines.

We all encounter obstacles in life. When we place our trust in the Lord, we never walk alone.

A Prayer for Trust

Heavenly Father, help us to trust in You when times feel frightening and uncertain. We know that You are our Rock and our Redeemer. In You alone, we find safety and refuge. Draw us ever nearer to Your heart as You walk with us.
Amen.