I wish I could count how many times I have heard someone say…I just don’t understand. When life is good and the road is clear we move along with ease. But when hit with a disappointment, bad news, or bad behavior by someone towards us, it rocks us. We take a step back, survey the pain, situation or loss and we just don’t understand.
The age old question presents itself, If God is good and God is love, then WHY does he allow bad things to happen to those that he says he loves? And that question is a frustrating one because we are only looking at our situations through human lenses. We are not privy to the bigger picture or what God is doing on the inside of us…or how HE might be specifically preparing us for usefulness to others through the very pain or disappointment that we are walking through today.
Our faulty human lenses might be why scripture says this:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….” Proverbs 3:5
- Lean here is the Hebrew that means: to rely upon or lean upon
- Understanding here is the Hebrew word that can be translated: insight, discernment, good sense, wisdom.
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go, he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume you know it all.” Proverbs 3:5-7 The Message
In light of this verse of Biblical Wisdom, I get a “throw it all up to Jesus” picture. I can’t know the future. He does. I can’t know what really needs shaping and changing in the deepest parts of me. He knows. I can’t know how this situation is going to be used to encourage another. He is preparing my life for more of His good works. I can’t rely on human understanding, even though I am an older woman and have lots of experiences…..Because His Word, Which is Truth, Tells me NOT TO.
But, God, I don’t understand……maybe we can pray to become comfortable with not understanding but trusting from the deepest part of us that we don’t have to make sense of things because God already has. Maybe we can learn to trust God in a way that will rock our lives and change our mind sets.
I am on that sacred journey of learning to trust when I don’t understand. How about you?
Think I will do a series on this….thinking…..maybe….
Have a God day! ( leaning into him constantly)
Debbie
Reminds me of one of my fave poems (and, yes, I think you should do a series on this subject!!!!):
Life is But a Weaving
Corrie Ten Boom (The Tapestry Poem)
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
Thank you for this poem! Hope everyone enjoys it! Bless You!
This would make a great series! It’s so needed in our world today.
Thanks for inspiring and encouraging me!
Love you Miss Terry!
You could not possibly know how timely this is for my life this week…today. Thanks so much. Miss you more then you know. xoxo
I miss you too Lana. Many blessings to you…..
This would make a great series. I’ll pray the Lord leads you to do one.
It’s probably better not to fully unnderstand. The frustration of not knowing keeps you drawing nearer to God, simply sitting at his feet.I’ve living through a rough childhood. We had the first set of parents divorced in our “conservitive” town in the early 70’s and my family was mired in drug and alcoholism issues. Meaningfull uneducated christians telling us we didn’t blong at church, my fathers alcoholism and I didn’t have new shoes..but I felt safe and knew someone was watching over me.My only safe haven, besides school..a few weeks ago my husband and I just had a dinner with a group of professed agnostics/ athiests.This particular group of people had wonderful God less childhoods,parents that tucked them in, stayed married, sent everone to college, highly educated and not really anything to ancor them to a spirtual need of anything.. whatsoever. Just plain life with regular ups and downs..I sat stunned..explaining how I needed a savior, and felt loved by God.. and how he watched over me and I felt his pressence as a child and throughout my lifetime. If anyone should be athesistic according to the world standards it could have been me,(for expierence sake) So, I praise God for the trials, still not understanding.. And wondering why sometimes…deep down…but praiseing him for who he is and his recompence and for help in this fallen world. And, for the beautiful gift of faith, for otherwise life is just plain, …empty,unfuffilled..and void without Christ! This world is beyond a mess and they can’t see HE is the answer.let’s be greatful we have eyes to see and ears to hear the “Good” news!
Really enjoyed this Victoria. Made me wonder, as I reflected on my difficult upbringing, if God knew the circumstances would put me in position for needing a Savior too. By the time I was 17 I felt so broken inside, that I wanted to know God because I felt lost. We don’t know and it is best to just settle that in our hearts. And, to resolve to just trust…easier said then done. Thanks for your response, thought-provoking!
I recently came across you blog and I want to thank you for your insite. I too have asked the question WHY! many times. I just ordered one of your books and look forward to reading it real soon.
Thank you Wendy!
Yes, it is so easy to start thinking of God as a vending machine. When we put something into our relationship with him, we start to expect something in return. We expect that if we serve God, he will take care of our circumstances and solve all our problems.
When the reality is that if Jesus did nothing but keep us from suffering for eternity, then we could give our entire lives to him and still be in debt!