Sometimes I don’t know what to do when I don’t know what to do about a problem or situation. My mind wraps around the problem and looks at it from every angle, trying to wrangle up a solution.

But when I try to solve a predicament I’ve become obsessed with, I leave little room for God to work. No resolution comes. When I heard a sermon on this subject recently, I took notes as fast as I could.

God has a lot to say to us when we find ourselves in this dilemma. Here are a few points from my notes:

1. Don’t fixate on your quandary. Trust God. Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1 NLT).
2. Look away from your difficulty, and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. “Looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NASB).
3. Meditate on the Word of God. Instead of mulling over the problem, fill your mind with God’s Word. Memorize a scripture you can ponder and internalize. John 14:1 is my “Emergency Verse” I fill my mind with whenever depression or sadness overtake me or if I start to feel overwhelmed. I have it written on a sticky note and taped (because the stickiness is long gone) to the bottom corner of my computer monitor, and there it shall stay. Some other verses for inspiration.

4. “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (Joshua 1:8 NLT).

5. “But they [all who seek God’s counsel] delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:2-3 NLT).

So beautiful! I already feel more at ease and strengthened by God’s Spirit.

Do you have troubles or issues in your life you could cover with God’s Word? Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and ask for His help.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I can come to You—and You want me to—with troubled hearts. I praise You for Your willingness to assist me. Please help me remember to trust You at all times, keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus and my mind filled with Your Word. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: When We Don’t Know What to Do: Angela Dolbear: All Rights Reserved.