“Why is this happening to me?” the young man asked me after describing a crisis he was facing. “I’ve tried to be faithful in serving God. He knows what this means to me. Why would he let this happen?”Questions that begin with “why” are common when problems come into our lives. Some Christians have suggested that it is wrong to ask “why?” but I don’t think that is necessarily true. Jesus asked the question, “why?” from the cross in His final moments and we know he never said anything that displeases God.
The heart-attitude behind the question is the key. When we question why, is it a sincere question or an accusation against God? There’s a big difference between the two.
The answer to questions about why is multifaceted, but there is one simple answer that often applies when we ask that question. It’s this: God’s ways are not our ways.
We look at things differently than the Sovereign God we serve. For instance, we think the three parts of the day are morning, afternoon and night. Not so with God. In Genesis, the Bible says that “the evening and morning were the first day.” From God’s perspective, new days begin when things start to get darker, not brighter. (Any orthodox Jew knows this, as evidenced by the fact that they begin to observe the Sabbath at sunset on Friday, not Saturday morning.) God’s ways aren’t our ways.
Consider another example: We believe we must be strong to be productive. God says that our need is to be weak, not strong. He doesn’t choose the strong and mighty, but the weak to amaze the world. (See 1 Corinthians 1:27) While we’re trying to become stronger, God wants to make us weaker, more dependent on Him. God’s ways aren’t our ways.
Under God’s rule, first comes darkness, then light. First comes weakness, then strength. The list could go on – first comes death, then life. First comes burst wine skins, then new ones. First comes losing our lives, then we find them. God’s ways aren’t our ways.
Will you choose, by faith, to forfeit the right to understand your circumstances and, instead, trust the One who does all things well? Thank God, His ways aren’t our ways. Would you rather have your way? Or would you rather yield to the way of an omnipotent God who loves you so much that He gave His life to ensure that you would receive the best He has to offer?
It is so difficult to let go.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we hold onto a probem, God cannot deal with it. It is the very essence of what we are taught as children. Take control, take ownership, do something....
We hand it over to God and then prompty run around trying to fix it.
God says LET GO!
Most gladly therefore will I glory in Christ Jesus in my weakness that the power of God may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Thanks Steve.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. I am going through some hard things and I feel disappointment and bereavment. But over the years I've several times felt the Lord say "don't grieve, your future is even better than your past". This has been proving true over and over again. So now in my pain and weakness I can rejoice, knowing that even better things are coming. In fact when I feel the pain I can start to feel almost exhilarated! Night comes before the day - I like that.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. I am going through some hard things and I feel disappointment and bereavment. But over the years I've several times felt the Lord say "don't grieve, your future is even better than your past". This has been proving true over and over again. So now in my pain and weakness I can rejoice, knowing that even better things are coming. In fact when I feel the pain I can start to feel almost exhilarated! Night comes before day - I like this.
ReplyDeleteLet the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
ReplyDeleteFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD Isa 55:7-8
To whom is he speaking??
To people who lived in the Old Testament/Old Covenant times.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough my last comment isn't intended to suggest the statements aren't true today. (In the deleted comment above, I accidentally wrote "are.) God still pardons the unrighteous today, though believers aren't unrighteous. And it's true that his thoughts are above ours, although Paul did say that "we have the mind of Christ." But the answer to your question is as I noted in my previous comment.
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