There will be times in all of our lives when we simply don’t understand how God is working. It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t align with what we can grasp with our minds. It doesn’t fit into the way we believe things happen in this world. How will our hearts react in those moments?
You’ve heard the story: Four determined men try to get a paralytic to Jesus. But the crowd is too large so they lower their friend through the roof. Jesus responds to their faith by setting the soul and body of the paralytic free. “But some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts. ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming!’” {Mark 2:6}.
You know this story too: Angels appear to shepherds and tell them about a baby who has come to be the Savior of the world. The shepherds rush to find him and show up just as unannounced as a man dropped through a roof. But Mary doesn’t doubt what’s unexpectedly unfolding in front of her. Instead she “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” {Luke 2:19}.
The Scribes and Mary have this in common: They are both witnesses to God’s work. And they are both part of scenes that don’t make much sense from a human perspective. But their responses couldn’t be more different. The Scribes doubtfully question while Mary faithfully ponders.
Here’s what makes the difference:
The Scribes didn’t understand at all what God was doing or trust who he was.
Mary didn’t understand all God was doing but she did trust who he was.
It’s a small distinction that changes everything.
God doesn’t expect us to understand everything he’s doing. He even extends us this offer, “Come now, let us reason together” (Is. 1:18). It’s okay to have questions. It’s okay to want to know more. It’s okay to think what’s happening just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. And we will experience a whole variety of emotions along the way. That’s okay too.
The reality is, we will never fully grasp all God is doing this side of heaven. But he does want us to really know this with all our hearts: He is good, he loves us and he’s working on our behalf in ways beyond what we can even comprehend.
XOXO
p.s. Jennifer Dukes Lee is taking women on a journey to lay down their Love Idols and pick up the love of God in a whole new way between now and Easter. You can find out more and join in here!
