I want to know what God is doing! (Don’t you?)
My grandmother was an amazing seamstress.
Anything with a needle and thread, she could whip into a masterpiece.
She did counted-cross stitch, and she crocheted. Every piece she created was beautiful, intricate in detail, and quite fantastic.
As a child, I tried to follow in her footsteps.
First, we tried sewing with a pattern.
Then, we moved to knitting, cross-stitching, and crocheting. Whether it was my lack of patience or lack of skill, I don’t know. But, I could never really master her sewing skills.
Finally, we discovered something I could do – hook rugs.
Maybe you’ll remember these?
There was a hook that you held in your hand, thousands of short pieces of colored yarn, and a large piece of plastic with a picture stamped on the back.
To complete a hooked rug, all you had to do was hook the yarn onto the correct section of the colored plastic. You just followed the picture. (I must say that I was quite awesome at this “skill!”)
Looking back on those days, I also remember something interesting about the hook rugs…
From the front of the plastic, you could not see the picture that you were creating. It was just white plastic with pieces of yarn hooked to it.
To get the whole picture, you had to flip the plastic over.
The real “pattern” was on the backside of the plastic, only visible to the one who was creating it.
In recent days, I’ve thought about how our lives are a lot like those hook rugs.
We can only see the front of the plastic of our lives.
Some pieces of yarn are sticking out, but we have no idea what the finished picture will look like (or even what it’s supposed to be.)
Only Almighty God knows and can see the whole picture for our lives!
He has a pattern and a plan, and He is very slowly and methodically creating our masterpiece.
Some days, this is very hard.
Help! I want to know what God is doing!
Furthermore, I want to see the picture on the back of the plastic.
I want to know what God is doing!
- Why did He allow this or that?
- What is going on?
- Why is this happening?
- What on earth is God up to?
- Why did He do this instead of that?
Maybe you’ve also wondered some of these same things.
I think we all reach points in our lives when we wonder what is going on!
What is God doing?
What is He up to?
On those days and in those moments when we don’t understand, what can we do?
How should we respond when God and His ways make NO SENSE at all? Click To Tweet
There is no magic formula here.
There is no list of steps we can take so that we will understand.
However, I do believe there are some promises from Scripture that we can cling to when life gets confusing.
We can hold fast to these truths when life is confusing.
However, I do believe there are some promises from Scripture that we can cling to when life gets confusing.
We can hold fast to these truths when life is confusing.
Here are 5 Biblical Promises I cling to when God doesn’t make sense:
First, Remember God doesn’t THINK like us.
Sometimes, we try to understand what God is doing and what He is thinking.
It’s never going to happen! He’s God!
We aren’t!
His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.
He’s not held back by sin or by any baggage, dysfunction, or prejudice.
God is completely holy.
He is perfect.
He is in control of all things – including our lives!
Our God is all-wise and all-knowing. Sometimes we just have to trust that He knows best! Click To Tweet
Isaiah 55:8-9 is the text I go to when I’m doubting God’s wisdom,
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are FAR BEYOND ANYTHING YOU COULD IMAGINE.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Second, Remember He is God; we are not.
Oh, what a relief this one is! God is God; we are not.
Truly, He can handle the cares of this world, the cares of people, and the cares of our lives.
He is not limited by anything. He is God! Click To Tweet
When I question God and His ways, I often have to park myself in Isaiah 40.
Here is just a sampling: (verses 12-14, 18, 22)
“Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
And, Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
Who can advise the Spirit of the Lord?
And, who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
Does he need instruction about what is good?
To whom can you compare God?
What image can you find to resemble him?
God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!”
Third, Remember God always does what is BEST for us.
God always does what is best for us.
Always!
Every single time!
And, He can coordinate my best with your best.
He is wise enough to do what is best for every living soul on this planet!
I don’t have to send Him instructions.
I don’t have to try to micromanage God.
He is entirely able to manage it all by Himself!
Our God is intricately involved in the details of my life and of yours. Click To Tweet
My favorite promise on this subject comes from Jeremiah 29:11,
“FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU,” says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope.”
Fourth, Remember God is FOR us.
One of my sweet mentors taught me this truth! Regularly she would say to me, “Melanie, remember, God is FOR you.”
So, when I would walk into uncomfortable situations, I would remind myself, “The Lord is FOR me!”
You can do the same thing!
As you are walking through life’s challenges and difficulties, remind yourself, “The Lord is FOR me!”
As you are walking through life's challenges and difficulties, remind yourself, The Lord is FOR me! Click To Tweet
Where do I get this truth?
Check out Psalm 118:6,
“THE LORD IS FOR ME, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”
Fifth, Remember God NEVER leaves us alone. He never forsakes us.
Oh, I love this promise from the Bible!
He is with us!
The Lord will never leave us or forsake us!
We can take this promise to the bank – no matter what is happening around us.
No matter who is leading our country.
No matter what is going on in your family.
And, no matter what is happening with your health.
No matter how low your bank account goes.
Also, no matter what is happening at your church or your job.
No matter how maddening things get... God is always, always, always with us. Click To Tweet
You can find this promise throughout scripture.
I chose to highlight Isaiah 41:10,
“Don’t be afraid, FOR I AM WITH YOU.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Additionally, I love this poem that I found many years ago.
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
Then, I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
When I asked for prosperity God gave me the brawn and brains to work.
I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for patience and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.
As I asked for love God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.
I asked for everything so I could enjoy life.
Instead, He gave me life so I could enjoy everything.
I received nothing I wanted, I received everything I needed.
(Author Unknown)
And, the words to this song always remind me to keep trusting God – even when I don’t understand.
All things work for our good
Though sometimes we can’t
See how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blinds us to the truth
Our Father knows what’s best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just can’t see Him,
Remember you’re never alone
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
And, when you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
He sees the master plan
He holds the future in His hand,
So don’t live as those who have no hope,
All our hope is found in Him.
We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and last
And like a tapestry, He’s weaving you and me,
To someday be just like Him
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
And, when you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
And, when you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart
(Song by Babbie Mason)
So, what do you think?
Where do you turn when God doesn’t make sense?
Which promises are your “go-to” verses?
How can I pray for you today?
I always enjoy hearing from you!
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