I sure have. It happens quite often. Oh, I wish I could tell you that being a preacher helps speed things along, but it doesn't. Sometimes, heaven seems silent and those ceiling tiles seem extremely thick.
Have you ever witnessed something seemingly senseless, perhaps a tragedy, and wonder why God seemed distant?
I sure have. And 99% of the time I can usually think of how I would have let it play out if I were God. Yeah, I know, He's in control, He knows what's best, and all that. Don't throw tomatoes at me. I'm just being honest.
Have you ever stepped out and did something you felt the Lord wanted you to do, and felt so sure of it that you knew nothing could go wrong?
I sure have. It happened the other day. And guess what? The situation stunk. It really, really stunk. I was left thinking, "Why would you let this happen? I did what I thought you wanted me to do." This led to confusion, to discouragement, a little bit of anger, and a big fat pity party of "Maybe I don't know how to listen to God as well as I thought."
Do you know what these things all have in common? The fact that God is big. Really big. I'm talking so big that sometimes, we don't understand. We misinterpret the signals. Sometimes, His "bigness" (probably not a fancy enough word to use in seminary) makes Him seem far away. We don't always know why. Heaven is just silent. Or confusing. Or both.
We try to muster up answers, but we can't. Theologians and smart preachers try to explain why God acts a certain way or doesn't do something when He could, but that doesn't work. We just have to chalk it up to the fact that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
Gee, thanks, Adam. That's a very comforting post. We just have to deal with it, huh?
Well, yeah. Yeah you do. There's not much you can do to make Him less confusing or more manageable. But there is one thing.
Trust Him.
You heard me. Trust Him anyway. Prayer life stagnant? Busy signal on the other end? Keep praying anyway. Don't know why that person succumbed to cancer? Struggling to reconcile the pain you're experiencing with the character of the God you thought you knew? Believe in Him anyway.
Trust Him anyway.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness... - Psalm 138:1-2a (ESV)Why should I? I can't. I can't see Him. I can't rely on Him. I can't manage Him. Sometimes, I'm not even sure He cares.
...for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. - Psalm 138:2b
That's why. Because He honors His name and His word. He exalts them. He lifts them high. He holds them to a high standard.
You can trust God in the midst of your confusion because of His name. He goes by many names, each of which holds special meaning at just the right time. But His name, "I am," says it all. "I am." Bank on that, He says. Trust in that, He says.
Trust in my name.
There is a sense of comfort and hope in the great I am... in the One who is completely self-sufficient yet totally and completely devoted to His people.
Trust in my word.
That's why we have a written Bible (not the only reason). His promises, His character, His attributes... they are all written down on paper, preserved for all to see. Cling to the promises, He says. Cling to what My word says about me, He says.
Observe how I have been faithful to my people in all generations of history. Never once have I faltered.
This brings to mind an old saying: "When you can't see His hand, trust His heart."
My friend, that's true. It's true, so write it down somewhere! Cling to those promises. Cling to God's revealed character. Cling to His name. His word. Cling to Him.
You might not be able to see Him, but He's there. You might not get an explanation, but He's there. You might not get your desires or see your way come to fruition, but He's there.
Trust Him.
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