When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

I’ve been thinking a lot about life’s twists and turns, confusing moments and times when you just want to scream, “What in the world is going on??”  It is human nature to want to know why.  Ask any mother of a small child whose top two vocabulary words are “no” and “why”. Questioning why starts early in our minds and hearts.

When “bad” things happen we look for someone or something to blame for it.  We blame the devil {why give him the credit??}. We blame a family member. We blame that chocolate chip cookie that we shouldn’t have eaten yesterday.  We blame stuff because it’s easy and it makes us feel better.

But what if…

What if… God sovereignly allowed seemingly “bad” stuff to happen in our lives for our good?

What if… He miraculously detained us from fulfilling “our” dream because there is danger awaiting us at the moment?

What if… He stopped us to test us? To test our faith?  To see if we really believe that He is all-powerful?

What if… God has something incredibly better waiting for us right around the corner.  Something we can’t see with our now clouded vision?

I’m reminded of the perilous situation that the Israelites found themselves in in Jeremiah 29.  They were experiencing the seventy year captivity in Babylon.  Seventy years y’all!  I’m sure they had questions and doubts about what God was doing. He had a perfect purpose that shows beautifully in these verses…

Thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

It is clear as day that God’s purpose included getting to the Israelites’ hearts. He had thoughts of peace and not of evil toward His people and this difficulty that took 70 years {they must have been really stubborn!} caused them to pray to God, to seek Him.

What does He say to their prayers? Does God play hide and seek with His children? No.

Here is a wonderful promise to cling to every single day we live: “I will be found of you.”  He promises when we seek him with all our heart, we will find Him.  We will find contentment in Him.

He is the answer to all our questions. He is the joy and satisfaction of our hearts.

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad to know,
He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away,
But I’ll trust my Lord to lead
For He doth know the way.

Tho’ night be dark, and it may seem
That day will never break,
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,
He maketh no mistake.

There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim;
But come what may, I’ll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mist will lift
And plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, tho’ dark to me
He made not one mistake.

by A.M. Overton

These words are resounding in my heart today. I’m preaching myself out of a questioning funk and I hope that your heart will be encouraged today to trust and rest in the loving heart and hand of a sovereign God.

Run to Jesus today!

Linked to: Women In The Word