Two-minute read.
God doesn’t think as we do, and we shouldn’t expect Him to. Can you imagine if the world ran the way we thought it should? So many things in this world make no sense to me, but in hindsight, I see the Lord’s hand. History tells the tale of the Creator’s work throughout time. Like the Bible, written over 1500 years, by 40 different authors, it all works together to create the most powerful book ever written. Only intelligent design could make that happen; our sovereign God planned it all.
We only see a small piece of the story; God sees the whole picture. Several situations in my life make no sense. People suffering, heartache abounding, none of it makes sense to me. The age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” rears its ugly head in so many life circumstances. Often, we don’t get answers to our “whys?” We must trust the Creator’s plan and wait for it to unfold.
“Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said, “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.”
Job 38:1-4
When Job loses his children, his flocks, and his health, he waits for 38 chapters before God speaks. And when the Lord answers, He doesn’t say why. Instead, the Lord asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” Job couldn’t answer that question, and neither can we. The Lord’s thoughts and ways differ from ours, and when we don’t understand why, we must trust.
Remembering we only see a small part of the long story of eternity helps us trust the Lord’s plan. We know what happened when Jesus died on the cross, and how He walked out of the tomb three days later. Even if we don’t understand all the details, we know the Savior’s actions gave us undeserved grace that gives us new life in Him. Transformation happens when we follow Christ.
Only God has all the answers; no one else does. We can’t understand His thoughts and don’t always understand His ways, but we can trust that everything will unfold as the Creator desires, with purpose. Trust in the Savior. Follow Him. And when life doesn’t make sense, trust that it does to the Lord.
Journal Questions:
What doesn’t make sense to you today?
How can trusting God help you deal with the situation?
In what ways does surrendering to the Lord help you let go of the “why” questions?
Application:
Surrender your timeline.
