When You Don’t Understand, Faith Matters! / by Patti Greene, Greene Pastures by Patti [From Email notifications, click the title for best web viewing]
There is so much I don’t understand. Over the past few months, I have been making a list of things I don’t understand. These items just popped into my mind during my daily routine. I would think about them for a few second and then say, “that’s life,” and move on.
I have been languishing over this post. Not that it is complicated, but because what I want to share is so simple that I am afraid I will make it too complicated. Writers feel that way occasionally. The simple message is: When you don’t understand something, faith matters! Having FAITH that God knows what to share with us and what not to share with us is his prerogative. He has the exclusive right to enlighten us or not in both secular and spiritual matters. There will be things we will not understand ever! But, we can inquire of God. He listens to our pleas for understanding and direction. No matter what we do or do not understand, our hope is from him and we should trust in him at all times. He will sustain us. He has provided his Word to sustain us.
The natural man cannot accept the things of the Spirit, but when God’s spirit is within us, we can see and discern the mind of Christ, but there still may be some things we do not know and may never understand. This is where FAITH comes into play.
From a Human Perspective, I Do Not Understand
How new windmills work;
Why someone would want a pet pig;
Why someone would want a gold shirt that costs $250,000.00;
Why Justin Bieber quitting Instagram is news;
Why people use the words ‘over-exaggerated’ or ’embellished’ when they should use the word ‘lied’;
Why someone would want to buy a building that looks like a Longaberger basket;
How someone can make more money not working than working; and
How spell check could change my instant message from, “Get well my choo-choo boy” to “Get well my choice-chop boy.
From a Spiritual Perspective, I Do Not Understand
How bones are formed in the womb of a pregnant woman; (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
How God’s Holy Spirit can indwell us; (Titus 3:5)
Why Bible prophets hear from God with such accuracy; (Jeremiah 28:9)
How we can speak God’s wisdom; (Psalm 49:3)
How two can become one flesh; (Mark 10:8)
How God could say, “Let there be light, and there was light; (Genesis 1:3)
How Christ rose from the dead; (1 Corinthians 15:4)
It’s easy to overlook things we don’t understand in the secular realm, but it’s not so easy to overlook things we don’t understand in the spiritual realm without FAITH. Many people when evaluating or questioning the mysteries of God tend to feel they need absolute answers before moving on in their spiritual walk—Not so!
The New Testament book of Hebrews is a comprehensive discussion about FAITH.
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)
Men of FAITH include Abel, Abraham, Moses, the individuals who crossed the Red Sea, Gideon, Barak, Samson, and the prophets. By FAITH, they trusted God and obeyed him.
You may wonder if your child is really saved? You might wonder why his/her death was so sudden? You might wonder why you didn’t get accepted to the college of your choice? You may wonder why your business went bankrupt when you worked so hard. You might wonder how to proceed in your career. Instead of thinking we can’t move on in our Christian FAITH without knowing the answers or absolutes, we should act in FAITH because God always has our best interests in mind.
But how do we get more faith? We should ask God for it and talk to him about our questions and concerns. In addition, we should read and study the Scriptures to learn more about God’s nature and character. It is sad to see someone stifled in their Christian walk because they are hung up on one thing or another, one unanswered prayer, or one questionable doctrine. It is up to us to take the initiative and talk to God about these things and work things out under the umbrella of his love, his protection, and the supernatural leading of the Holy Spirit. Ask him for FAITH. Ask him why. Ask him how. Ask him. Ask him. Ask him.
Tweet ThisGod is the one who reveals his mysteries to us. It is totally up to him to reveal a matter to us. He can open our mind to understand the Scripture. He can (and will) provide wisdom and knowledge to us when we read the Bible. However, there are still things that God conceals—maybe until His timing—maybe until we are ready to absorb the truth—or maybe until we have enough FAITH to accept a matter. We can always call on our heavenly Father and ask him for the answers. That is perfectly acceptable, but it is still up to the Lord to choose if and when He will share his secrets and/or knowledge with us.
We will not understand everything in this life. We will not understand everything in the Bible either, but by prayer, Bible study, and growing closer to Jesus we will most likely find that we do possess more knowledge in the things of God than others. While God does choose to conceal some things to us, He does choose to share some secret things with us. And when that happens, we need to be discerning as to whom and if we share it with. We need FAITH to mature in Christ. God always knows the big picture. Praise God we have a God who cares about everything in our lives.
I hope the point I made at the beginning of this blog has made sense. It’s so simple, I am repeating part of the first paragraph. “When you don’t understand something, faith matters! Having FAITH that God knows what to share with us and what not to share with us is his prerogative. He has the exclusive right to enlighten us or not in both secular and spiritual matters.”
When we add FAITH to our ‘not understanding’, we eliminate confusion and have the opportunity to give full allegiance to the Lord’s will for ourselves.
God Bless,
Bible Verses:
Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” (Daniel 2:17-23)
If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all. (Isaiah 7:9b)
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3)
Prayer:
Dear LORD, help me to understand you more and more every single day. Give me wisdom and understanding so I can fulfill your purposes in my life. Give me faith so I can have confidence in all you choose to reveal to me and those you don’t. My life is in your hands. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version containing the Old and New Testament. Wheaton: Crossway, 2001. [All verses come from the English Standard Bible unless noted otherwise]
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