Can I Trust God When I Don’t Understand Him?
Night Is Normal Part 7: When Disillusionment Challenges What We Believe About God
Have you ever found yourself asking, "God, why?"
Maybe you've prayed faithfully, trusted wholeheartedly, and still watched life unfold differently than you expected. If so, you're not alone.
In this episode of Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, we begin Week 4 of The Night Is Normal by exploring one of the hardest questions of faith:
Can I trust God when I don't understand Him?
Drawing from Scripture, personal testimony, and insights from The Night Is Normal by Dr. Alicia Britt Chole, Diana shares how disillusionment is often not the loss of faith—but the loss of our assumptions about God.
If you're walking through a night season filled with unanswered questions, this conversation will gently remind you that God's presence has never left you—and His character has never changed.
Because faith isn't trusting an outcome… Faith is trusting God's character.
Diana’s Notes
Heartfelt Conversations with Diana - The Night is Normal Study
Hello everybody!!! And welcome back to Heartfelt Conversations with Diana. Super glad you are here today.
Over the last few weeks, we've been talking about something many of us don't naturally enjoy discussing—night seasons.
Those seasons when life doesn't make sense. When prayers seem unanswered. When circumstances don't change as quickly as we hoped.
When God feels quieter than we expected. Have you ever found yourself asking:
"God, I don't understand what You're doing."
Maybe you never said it out loud. Maybe you whispered it through tears.
Maybe you thought it while staring at the ceiling at two o'clock in the morning.
Maybe you've wondered: "If God loves me, why did this happen?"
"If God is good, why didn't He stop it?" "If God heard my prayers, why didn't He answer them the way I expected?"
These are honest questions.
And I think one of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is pretending we don't have them.
In our study, Dr. Alicia Britt Chole introduces a powerful concept called disillusionment.
And when I first read that word decades ago, I thought it sounded entirely negative.
But then she explained something that caused me to stop and really think about it.
Disillusionment is not necessarily losing faith.
Sometimes, disillusionment is simply losing an illusion.
Here is the definition of illusion: An illusion is a false perception, misleading image, or erroneous belief that misinterprets reality.
What is disillusionment? Disillusionment is a feeling of disappointment and unhappiness that occurs when you realize a person, idea, or situation is not as good, true, or amazing as you initially believed. It is the loss of an idealistic belief or the sudden awakening from a false narrative.
Some other key facts about Disillusionment:
What Causes Disillusionment: It is often triggered by discovering the hard truth about something you once idolized or placed high expectations on.
It has an Emotional Toll on us: It often leads to feelings of betrayal, sadness, and frustration.
Something we believed to be true is revealed to be incomplete, inaccurate, or misplaced. And that process can feel painful.
Because whenever an illusion dies, it feels like a loss.
But here's the good news.
The Positive Side of Disillusionment: While it can be heartbreaking, it is also considered a liberating process. By freeing you from mistaken beliefs or illusions, it allows you to see reality clearly and make more informed decisions moving forward.
When our trust is in Jesus, and our illusions fall apart, we can remain strong, stable, and secure because God's truth remains. Always!
Today I want us to explore this question:
Can we trust God when we don't understand Him?
Let's begin with our first building block.
Building Block #1
First, We Have To Recognize the Illusion
One of the things Alicia points out in her book The Night Is Normal is that many of us unknowingly build our faith around "if-then" statements.
If I obey God, then nothing bad will happen.
If I pray hard enough, then God will answer exactly the way I hope.
If God loves me, then He will protect me from heartbreak.
The problem is that life eventually exposes those assumptions.
I know it did for me.
When my daughter died, I wasn't only grieving her loss.
I was also grieving expectations.
I believed certain things would happen because I loved God.
I believed certain outcomes would come because I prayed.
And when tragedy struck, I found myself struggling with questions I didn't know how to answer.
Not because God had changed.
But because some of my assumptions needed to change.
Actually, the disciples experienced this same thing.
They believed Jesus came to establish an earthly kingdom.
They expected victory.
They expected freedom from Roman oppression.
They expected a crown.
Instead, they watched Him die on a cross.
Their expectations collapsed.
Their dreams were buried.
And they were left disillusioned.
But here's what they eventually discovered.
Jesus had not failed.
Their understanding had been incomplete.
Sometimes what dies is not our faith.
Sometimes what dies is our illusion.
And that can be one of the most important moments in our spiritual growth.
Because God cannot heal what we refuse to acknowledge.
So let me ask you:
What expectation have you placed on God?
What "if-then" belief might He be gently exposing in your life?
Because recognizing the illusion is often the first step toward freedom.
Building Block #2
Return to the Living Water- Jesus
Once our assumptions are challenged, what do we do next?
We get into God's Word.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us: "For the word of God is alive and active..."
AMP Classic: For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The Bible is not merely a collection of stories.
It is God's voice speaking into our lives.
One statement from this week's study really resonated with me.
We don’t just read the Bible. The Bible reads to us.
Have you ever opened Scripture looking for answers and somehow found that God was revealing something about your own heart?
I certainly have.
When life hurts, we often search for relief.
We scroll.
We distract ourselves.
We stay busy.
We look everywhere for comfort.
But we were created to have Living Water.
Just as plants require water to survive, our minds, spirits, and hearts require God's truth.
His Word steadies us when our emotions are unstable.
His promises anchor us when circumstances feel uncertain.
His voice guides us when we cannot see the road ahead.
When disillusionment comes, don't pull away from Scripture. Move closer.
Because God's Word remains true even when your feelings are all over the place.
Building Block #3
Choose Trust Over Understanding
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:42 says:
"My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done."
Think about that. Jesus understood suffering. Jesus understood grief.
Jesus understood surrender. And He trusted the Father.
I think sometimes we believe faith means having all the answers.
But faith is not understanding everything. Faith is trusting God when we don't.
I've learned something over the years.
Whenever I'm tempted to return to my old thought patterns or my old way of doing things, I often think about Psalm 91. Listen to Psalm 91:1 in the AMP Bible
Psalm 91:1 (AMP) He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand].
I imagine standing under an umbrella during a storm.
I ask myself:
Will this thought or action keep me under the protection and rest of the shadow of the Almighty? Or will it pull me away from His covering?
Because every day we make choices. We can choose fear. We can choose bitterness. We can choose confusion. We can choose our own way. Or we can choose trust.
Not because we understand everything. But because we know God's character.
And that leads us to one of the most important truths of today's podcast:
Faith is not trusting an outcome. Faith is trusting God's character.
Even when we don't understand. Even when we don't like what we're walking through. Even when our questions remain unanswered.
We trust the One who is leading us.
Practical Application
This week, let’s all be encouraged to do three things.
First, identify one expectation we may need to surrender to God.
Second, we need to spend time daily in His Word, even if it's only a few minutes.
Third, let’s pray this simple prayer every morning:
"Father, help me trust Your character more than my understanding. In Jesus Name, Amen. "
That one simple prayer has the power to change everything.
Closing Encouragement
If you're walking through a Night season today, I want you to hear this.
Your questions do not scare God. Your confusion does not offend God.
Your grief does not disqualify you. God is not asking you to understand everything.
He is inviting you to trust Him.
And that's where faith grows strongest. Not when life makes perfect sense. But when we continue following Jesus even when it doesn't.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for being trustworthy even when life is confusing.
Thank You that Your character never changes, even when our circumstances do.
Help us release false expectations and cling tightly to Your truth.
Teach us to trust You more than our own understanding.
Give us courage to remain in Your Word, confidence in Your promises, and peace in the middle of our questions.
Help us keep walking with Jesus through every season, knowing You will never leave us and never forsake us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Next Week’s TEASER
Next week, we're going to continue this conversation as we explore something Alicia calls "The Unglamorous Gift of Plodding."
What do we do when spiritual growth feels slow?
What do we do when we're not running but barely walking?
What does faithfulness look like on ordinary days?
We're going to talk about all that next time. I hope you'll join me.
Until then-
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You can join us online for the Sunday service at Valley Family Church! If you are nearby, please join us for the 9 AM or the 11:15 services.
You can find the link for Valley’s Sunday service, the notes from today’s podcast, and a must-listen-to teaching by our Founding Pastor, Beth Jones, on The Far Better Life!
Avoid Covenant Confusion!
You can find all of it on our website -heartfeltconversations.com
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 (NLT)
God bless & I’ll see ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Pastor Beth’s message:
The Far Better Life | Pastor Beth Jones
Valley Family Church YouTube Channel for Sunday Service:
https://www.youtube.com/@ValleyFamilyChurch/streams
Heartfelt Conversations with Diana Facebook link:
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Diana’s Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeS6qzdekMr55A_b1cG_Yv2fy_BvQ27D
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You
I Know A Name | Elevation Worship & Brandon Lake
Do It Again - Chris Brown & Brandon Lake | Heaven Come
MercyMe - Flawless (Official Music Video)
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Isaiah 46:10: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.