When It Rains: Trusting God in Practical Pressure

There are seasons where spiritual growth feels peaceful.

And then there are seasons where it feels expensive.

Not metaphorically.

Actually expensive.

Appliances breaking.
Washing machines leaking.
Cars dying.
Mortgage confusion.
Property taxes increasing.
Dental work waiting.
Bills climbing.
Sleep regression starting.

And homeschool still happening.

This month has been one of those “when it rains, it pours” seasons.

And what I’m realizing is this:
Practical pressure reveals where we really trust God.

It’s easy to trust in theory.
It’s harder to trust when the oven stops working and dinner still needs to be made.


When Faith Gets Practical

Financial strain doesn’t feel spiritual.

It feels heavy.

It feels like spreadsheets and phone calls and waiting for callbacks. It feels like postponing dental work. It feels like making hard decisions and choosing which problem gets handled first.

But Scripture does not separate the spiritual from the practical.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

Every need includes broken vehicles.
Every need includes rising bills.
Every need includes replacement parts and leaking appliances.

God does not roll His eyes at practical prayer.


Homeschooling Through Hard Things

One of the unexpected lessons in all of this has been what my children are watching.

They are watching:

How we respond when plans unravel.
How we speak to each other under stress.
Whether we panic or pray.

Our homeschool lessons slowed down this week. And maybe that was the lesson.

Not math.

Resilience.

The Invitation to Surrender Control

This season has reminded me how much I like being in control.

I like knowing the timeline.
I like solving problems quickly.
I like progress.

But stress exposes our illusion of control.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)

Trusting God in practical stress looks like:

• Making the phone calls.
• Doing the budgeting.
• Seeking wisdom.

And then choosing not to spiral.

What I’m Holding Onto

Nothing has magically resolved yet.

The washing machine still leaks.
The oven still needs fixing.
We’re navigating life with one vehicle.
The bills are still real.

But so is God’s track record in our life.

He has carried us before.
He has provided creatively before.
He has made a way before.

This is not the first storm.

And it will not be the last.

But He has never once left us in the middle of one.

“The LORD will provide.”
— Genesis 22:14 (ESV)

Today, I’m choosing trust again.

Not because it’s easy.
But because He has been faithful.