Trusting What You Cannot Trace (2)

Introduction and Argument

A little boy was walking through a dense forest with his father just before sunset. As darkness settled in, the narrow trail became harder to see. The boy looked around nervously and said, "Dad, I can't see the path anymore."

His father reached down, took his son's hand, and replied, "You don't have to see the path if you can trust the one leading you."

The boy kept walking. He couldn't see around the next bend. He didn't know where the rocks were or where the trail would lead. But he never stopped because he wasn't trusting the path—he was trusting his father.

Years later, the boy reflected on that moment and said, "Looking back, I realize my father could see things I couldn't. He knew where the dangerous places were. He knew where the safe places were. My confidence wasn't in what I could see; it was in who was holding my hand."

Life is much like that forest. There are seasons when we can't see what God is doing. We don't understand why the door closed, why the diagnosis came, why the prayer hasn't been answered, or why we're still waiting. We want God to show us the entire path before we take the next step.

But God often says, "You don't have to see the whole path. You only need to trust the One who is leading you."

That is exactly what Solomon teaches in Proverbs 3:3–7. There will be times when you cannot trace God's hand, but you can always trust God's heart.

In the book of Proverbs, we encounter instruction for nearly every relationship and every area of life. Whether it is our relationship with God, family, friends, neighbors, or even our enemies, Proverbs provides timeless wisdom for living well.

Solomon, the primary author of Proverbs, teaches that godliness is intensely practical. He does not present wisdom as abstract philosophy but as truth that is lived out in everyday decisions. Throughout the book, he offers God-given principles that shape our character, guide our choices, and strengthen our relationships. Proverbs reminds us that genuine wisdom is not merely knowing what is right—it is faithfully living it out each day.

Trusting What You Cannot Trace

Is Trust earned or learned? Pause...It actually happens on both levels.

Wordplay: Earned and Learned

Earned - means deserve, gain through effort or receive as the result of labor

Learned - to acquire knowledge, to study, to gain understanding

Somethings in life are learned and some things are earned.

Knowledge is learned

Trust is earned

"Knowledge may be learned, but trust is earned. The more you walk with God, the more you discover that He has earned the right to be trusted."

"Every time God answered a prayer, He earned my trust. Every time He made a way where there was no way, He earned my trust. Every time He kept His promise, He earned my trust. Every valley I survived and every mountain He helped me climb became another reason to trust Him."

“We learn about God through His Word, and we grow to trust Him through experiencing His faithfulness."

"Faith begins with what is learned from God's Word and grows stronger through what is experienced in God's faithfulness."

Psalm 37:3 KJV 1900

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Psalm 37:5 KJV 1900

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Proverbs 3:3–4 KJV 1900

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding In the sight of God and man.

How do you build trust in something you cannot trace?

When you cannot trace His hand, you must trust His heart.

Mercy and Truth -

These two words appear together in the OT at least 20 times. That is significant for our understanding of this text.

Some Bible Translator interpret mercy to mean steadfast love. And truth to mean faithfulness

Bind and Write -

You must write mercy and truth on your heart’s tablet while binding them around your neck.

Israel had a history of being both Stiff-necked and Hardness of Heart.

An Ox is stiff necked as it refuses to bow its yoke or respond to the farmers guidance. Practical - this is when you resist God’s Authority

Hardness of Heart - It is not one moment, but it is a progression of a spiritual condition that develops over a period of time. It causes resistance to God and His will for your life.

Results - You can then find favor and understanding (success)

Application:

Some people cannot seem to find the balance between Mercy and Truth. Some people are excellent in the truth - but they have little mercy. Others excel at mercy - but they stay away from the truth.

Example, The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, noting that Moses commanded stoning for such women. (John 8:1–11) They possessed absolute legal truth—the woman had violated the law, and the penalty was clear. Yet Jesus challenged them: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:1–11) Their truth was technically correct but devoid of compassion and mercy. Jesus showed mercy, saying “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more,” (John 8:1–11) balancing accountability with grace. The Pharisees exemplified how truth divorced from mercy becomes weaponized judgment.

Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV 1900

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.

How do you go from reaction to action?

Faith is going to ask you to trust:

Before we understand

Before the answer comes

Before the healing

Before the breakthrough

Before the door opens

We must trust God with all of our thinking, reasoning, decision, desire, will, and never should we lean on our own understanding.

Our understanding is limited. Trust God, but don’t trust yourself

To Trust God means that you made a conscience decision to lean on Him and not your understanding

In all thy ways acknowledge Him

Douglas J. Moo says People who have refused to acknowledge God end up with minds that are “disqualified” from being able to understand and acknowledge the will of God.

When people reject God long enough, they don't just lose their desire for God—they lose their ability to think rightly about God. Point: In all that you get, please get understanding

Application:

Proverbs 28:26 “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”

Proverbs 3:7 KJV 1900

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

How do you overcome what you cannot understand?

Stop trusting yourself

God sees the beginning and the end

He already knows what’s going to happen in the future

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Start fearing God

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Separate yourself from evil

Depart - Turn aside those things that are wrong for your life

When we fear the LORD and depart from evil, we are demonstrating Godly Humility

We often hear people say they're trying to find balance in life. But when it comes to our relationship with God, balance isn't the goal—complete trust is.

Point: The scripture did not ask us to balance our trust in Him but lean or put our full weight on Him.

Closing

How can I Trust something I cannot trace

When I feel the rejection

I have been abandoned

I’ve been betrayed and lost

I see and feel these things.

Point: We must learn to Trust Him no matter the life situation. Why because of John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

Even though I don’t know what tomorrow holds, I do know that if I can hold His hand today then I will let tomorrow take care of itself.

Even when you cannot see the possibilities of tomorrow, God can.

Our challenge as believers is to trust an uncertain future to an all powerful God

Life is difficult when you don’t understand what God is doing

Since life is difficult for those of us that are believers, can you imagine what life is for those who don’t know God and His Son Jesus Christ.

If God's Son loved me enough to be nailed to a cross for my sins and to save me from an eternal hell, then I can trust Him with every part of my life. If I can trust Him with my eternity, I can certainly trust Him with my today. The God who loved me enough to die for me will never fail to lead me.

If I can trust Him with my salvation, then I can trust Him with my life situation.

Closing Illustration

As you near the end of your sermon, you might say:

"Many of us spend our lives trying to figure out tomorrow. We want to know what's around the next bend. But God has never promised to tell us everything about tomorrow. Instead, He gives us something even better—Himself. He says, 'Trust Me.'"

Then you could pause and add:

"As the old hymn reminds us, I don't know about tomorrow... and that's all right, because I know the One who holds tomorrow."

"I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" (written by Ira F. Stanphill) beautifully complements your sermon "Trust When You Can't Trace." The hymn is essentially a musical expression of Proverbs 3:5–6.

The Central Message

The song acknowledges life's uncertainty:

We don't know what tomorrow will bring.

We don't know what trials, disappointments, or blessings await us.

We cannot see around the next corner.

But instead of focusing on what is unknown, the hymn shifts our attention to Who is known.

The recurring message is:

I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know the One who holds tomorrow.

That is exactly what Solomon teaches:

We cannot trace every detail of God's plan.

We can trust the God who is directing our path.

Connection to Your Sermon

You could say:

"Solomon and the songwriter are saying the same thing. Solomon says, 'Trust in the LORD with all your heart.' The songwriter says, 'I don't know about tomorrow, but I know who holds tomorrow.' Both remind us that faith isn't built on knowing the future; it's built on knowing the God who controls the future."

A Strong Closing Statement

"Faith is not knowing what tomorrow holds. Faith is knowing who holds tomorrow."

Or, tying it directly to your title:

"You may not be able to trace tomorrow, but you can trust the God who is already there."

That is a fitting way to bring Proverbs 3:3–7 to a Christ-centered conclusion. The cross is the ultimate proof that the God who asks us to trust Him has already demonstrated His love for us. Because He has proven His faithfulness in Christ, we can confidently entrust both our present circumstances and our eternal future to Him.

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