“’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8, 9
Don’t Ask Why
When hard times come, we shouldn’t waste time asking God all the “why” questions. I’ve found that God rarely answers those. I frequently get emails from people telling me they’re asking God, “Why?”
What I think we need to do instead is to declare in prayer who God is in accordance with His Word. We need to “lean into” the truth of who God is. We need to choose to trust Him—repeatedly, continually. And we need to let Him hold our right hand and carry us through the hard times.
We can ask God some other questions. What does He want to say to us? What does He want to do in the hard season? What does He want to teach us? I’ve found He’ll readily answer these questions! He longs to draw us closer to Him in the hard times.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'” (Jeremiah 29:11).
“We’re glad You know what is best, Lord. May we trust Your sovereign choice for us, and instead of asking why You allow certain things, may we declare Your goodness.”
Thank you Miss Sally! You are someone who is living what you teach! A living testimony….truly!
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses to hold on to during these times. It reminds us of several important things:
1. that God’s plans are always greater than ours.
2. that as a loving Father, He will always walk through all our trials with us.
3. that the hope that He offers us is far greater than any hope we can grab hold of here on this earth.
4. that the future that He gives us is eternal and can never be taken from us as long as we keep our eyes on Him.
As for the question “why,” when it becomes a self-absorbing, all encompassing path that prevents us from seeing God’s hand in our life, then it is a dangerous place to get stuck in. But when it helps us to raise our eyes to him and with an open heart ask “Why have I been brought down this path Lord?” Then the question changes from “how could you allow this horrible thing to happen to me?” to “Help me Lord to see Your hand at work in my life, even during my struggles.” It is not the word “why” but the condition of the “heart” when asked that makes the difference.
Thank you for the reminder today and allowing me to focus my own thoughts.