Are there chapters in your personal story that you wonder about?
“Why this, Lord? What good thing could possibly come from bringing this across my path?”
If so, you are in good company, for many spiritual giants have pondered the same question. Amy Carmichael, a pioneer missionary to India, did her pondering in poetic form with a question that comes across as a howl of protest:
“But these strange ashes, Lord, this nothingness,
This baffling sense of loss?”
The more we learn to know God, the more we come to realize that his ways are, indeed, “inscrutable.”
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.. (Deuteronomy 29:29)
He is under no obligation to explain or justify himself to us. However, the “things revealed” give us clues about his nature and his character.
Even when we don’t understand the specific way in which he carries out his will, gazing into the Truth reminds us that we can trust his motives toward us, for they are always good.
Holding You in the Light,
Even when we don’t understand the specific way in which God carries out his will, gazing into the Truth reminds us that we can trust his motives toward us, for they are always good.
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That’s what I often come back to amidst baffling mysteries—I don’t understand why God allows some things, but I know Him. I know He is good, kind, wise, and trustworthy.
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“I know him.”
That’s the whole point, and we’re called to trust his vision of the situation. If we knew that future, it’s likely that we would agree with his decisions more readily.
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We need to remind ourselves of Deuteronomy 29:29 so that we surrender our doubts and continue to trust God even when we don’t understand. He is always good, always faithful, and always for us.
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Yes! If we could only see into the heart of our good Father, we would never doubt that his intentions toward us are always perfectly holy and for our good. Of course, if we’re paying attention, he HAS revealed his heart to us in his Word…
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‘we can trust his motives toward us, for they are always good.’
Amen, Michele. There’s more and more that I simply don’t understand but the why’s don’t seem to call too much anymore. There’s just love and trust and hope amidst the concern or sadness.
Easter blessings to you and your wonderful brood, friend.
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Thank you, Linda. I think that as we grow older, we know ourselves better and can more rationally DISplace our trust in our own judgment and PLACE our trust in God’s judgment. Notice I said “more rationally” and not “more easily.”
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You’ve reminded me of an old song that Babbie Mason sang, “Trust His Heart” (2001). It included the lyrics: “When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.” All through scripture we find assurances and promises that reveal his heart and bolster our faith when trouble comes. It’s such a glorious gift to have God’s Word at our fingertips! (Better yet, tucked into our memories!)
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Yes and amen to the benefit of memorization. It changes us!
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