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WHEN GOD DOESN’T EXPLAIN HIMSELF · THIS IS THE LIFE PODCAST

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  Speaker 1: As we gather in this morning on a Monday morning,
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  Speaker 1: we thank you for joining us in our devotion time
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  Speaker 1: here on our podcast. The Word of God comes to
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  Speaker 1: us this morning out of Isaiah 55, verse 8 and 9.
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  Speaker 1: As we look to the question of what we do
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  Speaker 1: When God doesn't explain Himself. And the Word says here, Now,
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  Speaker 1: the truth of the matter is this morning, if we're
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  Speaker 1: just speaking honestly, most of us feel more comfortable when
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  Speaker 1: we understand what is happening in our lives, if we
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  Speaker 1: can make sense of it somehow. We want to know
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  Speaker 1: why doors open and why doors close, why prayer has
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  Speaker 1: not been answered, and why God allows something to happen
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  Speaker 1: that brought us great pain into our lives. We believe
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  Speaker 1: that if God would just simply explain Himself, perhaps we
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  Speaker 1: could accept the situation more easily. But as we gather
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  Speaker 1: this morning, the truth is this. God does not always
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  Speaker 1: give us an explanation. There will be moments when we
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  Speaker 1: pray and we still don't understand. We may search the scriptures,
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  Speaker 1: examine our hearts, and ask God for direction, yet the
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  Speaker 1: answer we desire just doesn't come. And it's in those
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  Speaker 1: moments that faith requires us to trust God's faithfulness, His
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  Speaker 1: faithfulness to us, even when He hasn't revealed His reasons. See,
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  Speaker 1: Isaiah here reminds us of something, that God's thoughts are
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  Speaker 1: higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than
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  Speaker 1: our ways. We see one moment, but God sees the
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  Speaker 1: entire journey. See, we may see what we seem to
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  Speaker 1: have lost, but God sees what He has protected and
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  Speaker 1: brought close to Himself. We see a closed door, but
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  Speaker 1: God sees everything that is waiting on the other side
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  Speaker 1: of that door. Now this does not mean that our
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  Speaker 1: questions are wrong. We are even commanded in Scripture that
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  Speaker 1: it's duly right to ask why things are happening in
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  Speaker 1: our lives. David did it. Moses did it. Joshua did it.
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  Speaker 1: But the trust factor was always there, even if the
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  Speaker 1: questions went unanswered. God is not threatened by our confusion.
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  Speaker 1: He's not threatened at all by our disappointment, our honest prayers,
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  Speaker 1: or listen, even our misguided anger. We can bring every
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  Speaker 1: question before God. But there comes a point when we
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  Speaker 1: must decide whether we will continue trusting Him even if
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  Speaker 1: He does not give us the explanation we hope for.
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  Speaker 1: Job If you read the story of Job, he never
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  Speaker 1: received a complete explanation for everything that he endured. Yet
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  Speaker 1: through his suffering, he came to know God in an
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  Speaker 1: even deeper and more meaningful way. And sometimes the answer
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  Speaker 1: is not found in understanding the situation. Sometimes the answer
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  Speaker 1: is found in knowing that God is still present within
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  Speaker 1: the situation. See, we may never understand why certain things
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  Speaker 1: happen in our lives or to the lives of others.
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  Speaker 1: Some answers may not come until we reach eternity. But
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  Speaker 1: even when God does not explain Himself, He has not
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  Speaker 1: left us without anything to hold on to. We still
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  Speaker 1: have His Word. We still have His promises. We still
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  Speaker 1: have the evidence of His faithfulness all throughout our lives.
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  Speaker 1: So as we begin this week, you may be carrying
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  Speaker 1: questions that remain unanswered. Don't allow what you don't understand
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  Speaker 1: to cause you to forget what you already know. And
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  Speaker 1: that is God is good. God is faithful. And God
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  Speaker 1: loves you. And God can always, always be trusted. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: faith doesn't always receive an explanation. Sometimes faith simply rests
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  Speaker 1: in the one who already knows the whole story. So
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  Speaker 1: today you be safe. You be strong and you be blessed.
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  Speaker 1: And you be encouraged that even though you may not
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  Speaker 1: have the answer you desire, the one who does have
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  Speaker 1: the answer is still faithful. Lord's will will see you
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  Speaker 1: back here again tomorrow. And until then, have a great day.