Sometimes God…
-gently embraces us as a parent does a feverish child
-firmly strikes us as a parent does to the back of a choking toddler
-painstakingly spoon-feeds us as a parent does a helpless baby
-empathetically watches as we messily and frustratingly learn to feed ourselves as a parent does a developing kid
-tenderly soothes us as a parent who gingerly applies aloe to a daughter’s sunburned skin
-sharply and painfully invades us as a surgeon does when cutting out a cancerous tumor
-forcefully pulls us out of a situation as a parent does a son playing in front of on-coming traffic
-consciously leaves us in an agonizing situation as a coach does when his team is being outplayed by an opponent
-deliberately causes us temporary pain to prevent future suffering as a nurse does a child through injecting a vaccine
-wisely withholds from us temporary happiness to later give us a richer joy
-quietly whispers to us as a parent does when tucking in a child
-stridently yells at us as a parent does when a toddler picks up a kitchen knife
-patiently explains why we should trust and obey Him as a driving instructor does during a road exam
-simply asks us to trust and obey Him without a clear explanation as a pilot does when flying through turbulence
-teaches us to win with humility as a coach does to a championship team
-teaches us to lose with grace as a coach does to a last-place team
-blesses us abundantly to develop in us generosity
-strips away from us completely to develop in us contentment
-guides us around a problem as a detour does construction
-leads us through a barrier as the Chunnel does the Channel between England and France
SOMETIMES we don’t understand God’s ways…
…but ALWAYS God
is good,
is in control,
is worthy of our worship,
is deserving of our devotion,
and has our best interests in mind.
(Isaiah 55:7-9 NIV)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
(Job 1:20-22 NIV)
“At this [hearing of the sudden death of all ten of his children],
Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.’
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
(John 14:1 NLT)
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me [Jesus].“
May we trust in Jesus, from the mountain top to the valley floor…
why do some people that have been so strong for Jesus suddenly go the other way. . Pressures from a marriage, job, friends, family situation. In the past have trusted God to help them but after so long of waiting for an answer have given up on any thing ever working out. I know God has everything under control and everything happens for a reason, but it is so hard to wait for an answer. I am going to trust in God , some days will be hard to do that, and pray that it will work out.
Great question! I honestly don’t have a neat/tidy answer but I do know that your decision to trust in God no matter what is a homerun! 🙂