Till We Are Home

We are a curious bunch, aren’t we?

As people we typically love discovery, exalt those who achieve great feats in exploration, and are sometimes just not satisfied without a full resolution to a matter, wrapped in a pretty bow. Have you ever been on a hike and felt dog-tired, but there’s a bend up ahead and you push just a little further to see what’s ahead? Or how about going through a break-up with someone…you just have to understand what happened, what changed, right?

In our walk with the Lord, we still feel that same need to understand what’s around the corner. We want to dig into the Scriptures to know God more…and that’s good! He wants us to do so! Like Anselm long ago who championed for believers to use their reasoning abilities to understand Scriptural doctrines, we, too, should walk with the Spirit who illuminates the Word and helps us understand It using all our faculties with His help.

So, we are a people created to understand God’s Word as He revealed and intended so. But what about everything the Lord does? Has God intended for us to understand everything, to understand the who, what, when, where, and even the why of all that He does?

I’m not certain He does, but especially the why part. 

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” You’ve probably heard this verse and likely understand the gist of it – basically, we are not God so there will be some mystery to what He does, let alone we are finite and can’t possibly understand all the ways of the Infinite One.

Earlier, Isaiah also said that God’s understanding is unsearchable (Isa 40:28). In Psalm 48:14, the Psalmist said that “He will guide us forever,” which doesn’t mean He’ll give us understanding of the way forward, but that He will be there to help us along as our guide. 

In our grief, we can often cry out, “Why, God? Why?!?” We can be frustrated by the ‘why’ of what’s happened as the Lord brings certain sorrows and hard providences in our path. We wrestle with the thought that if we are obedient unto the Lord (by His grace and mercy), then why does God bring along difficult days and even extreme sorrows and sufferings? 

First off, may I remind us all that we are not owed one single second of a “happy” life. In fact, we’ve been fairly warned and even promised that our days will be difficult. Hear the testimony of Scripture:

• “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” 1 Pet 4:12
• “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
• “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” 2 Tim 3:12
• “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Js 1:2-4

Suffering, sorrow, hard days come to those who are in Christ…for if our Savior, our King, our God suffered Himself, then why would any of His followers think we’re different or deserving of better than He?

So, we will experience grief and sorrow in our days. And, when we do, we may not always understand the ways of our God, let alone the ‘why’ of what He’s done. We may be left in our grief without an answer to the ‘why’.

When you find yourself in that situation, do not despair that the Lord doesn’t answer your cries with the reason for your sorrow. (Would that help anyways? You’ll still need to go through the grief and sorrow, so what does knowing the ‘why’ help anyways?) Instead of clinging to our felt need to understand all things, even the ‘why’ of our circumstances that brings great pain, we should turn to His promises and believe them to be true. 

Instead of growing frustrated that you don’t understand why the Lord has done such a thing, fall on believing in Him:

• “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28
• “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. / When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Ps 34:15, 17-18
• “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;” Ps 73:28 (NASB, 1995)
• “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deut 31:8
• “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isa 41:10
• “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16
• “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps 46:1

Oh, I can go on and on with so many beautiful promises the Lord gives through His Word of how good, near, and comforting He is for those who are in Christ! Instead of being stuck in our desire to know why we suffer, BELIEVE in His Word…in His promises…in Him!! We don’t have to understand anything at all, but we can believe Him at His Word.

When you find yourself in the valley of tears, remember that belief trumps understanding. 

In the end, His testimony promises that, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,” (Rev 21:4). When we’re there in the presence of our Lord and He wipes away that last tear, it won’t matter why we faced sorrows in our momentary, light afflictions on earth…all of that will have passed away and we’ll be in the presence of God Himself!

We don’t always get to find out why things happened the way they do. However, we have a great Guide who will make our paths straight and will be our strong tower in the midst of any storm that comes – remember, He’s the one in the boat with us! May we be those who recall that belief trumps understanding any time we undergo great sorrows…

Till we are home…