Rarely does God do something exactly as we think He will. Moses experienced this as he learned how God was going to deliver the Hebrews out of Egypt. God told him He would harden Pharaoh's heart. Yet, the result was not what Moses anticipated. Rather than allowing the Hebrews to leave, Pharaoh increased their hardship. Rather than becoming a hero among the Hebrews, Moses was despised by them for bringing greater suffering. Moses returned to the Lord and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?” (Exod. 5:22). Much of the frustration we experience as Christians has nothing to do with what God does or doesn't do. It has everything to do, rather, with the false assumptions we make about how we think God will and should act. Have you ever done the will of God and then things seemed to become worse? Moses completely misunderstood what the results of His obedience to God would be. When things did not turn out as he anticipated, Moses became discouraged. God had told Moses what to do, but He had not told Moses what the consequences would be. It is foolish to attempt to do God's work using your own “common sense.” God does not eliminate your common sense; He consecrates it. He gives you His wisdom so you can understand His ways. As you look back on God's activity in your life, you will recognize the supreme wisdom in how He has led you. As you look forward to what God may do, be careful you do not try to predict what He will do next. You may find yourself completely off the mark. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
It's probably happened more times than we ever could remember. Growing up, from even learning how to eat, how to get dressed, how to clean ourselves. Places and moments in our lives when implicit trust was required. We didn't understand but did it anyway.
Think about later on in life when life was getting more complicated. Seems like it was easier when we were younger to navigate such things.
Reading in Deuteronomy, Moses is about to die. He is relating the brief but colorful history of the people of Israel. Soon to become the nation of Israel. Moses had a very rough beginning in his walk with God.
Yet he became one of the most influential.
Paul was along the same lines. I am convinced that on more than one occasion when we read of the Pharisees being there, that Paul was among them.
To read of Paul's credentials you know that has to be true. He saw the miracles.
He saw so much and missed it all.
Moses saw a lot and kept missing it too. He knew better than to strike that rock the day he disobeyed the command to speak to it for the water to come out.
We too often don't have the bigger picture.
It's something that I asked for one time. To see more and understand more from God's perspective. There was a time when I had asked and it was just like a few instances that I read in the Bible. I was elevated up a little to see life from a different perspective.
We live in such a day and age of answers. Thinking that with time and knowledge coupled with money answers can be had.
Microwave moments. Have the questions Google the answers. People not entirely understanding that a vast artificial intelligence is behind Google, Bing, Yahoo!.
We lose the ability to think, to realize that the one with the answers is far more available to us than those places.
There's times when I see odd parallels. In the time when Star Trek the Next Generation was popular, they introduced something in the show called a Holodeck. A place where you could tell a computer what you wanted to experience and it would create it. We ask or talk to Google along the same lines. Looking for and trusting the answers. A side note is even Google was busted for suppressing results.
Truth is we have something far greater than those things at our disposal for answers. The meaning of life. Of how to love. Of what to do. Instant communication available. It's called prayer.
You want understanding? Pray. You may not get a complete answer, but an answer you will get. A famous movie quote has to do with being able to handle the truth. Sometimes we just aren't able to. We need to trust in what plans that God has for us. He knows best. Our getting frustrated is not going to help matters.
We also need to look at things from a different perspective. God's. Jesus said we need to come as a child. Trust Him. We will eventually begin to understand things but it's going to take time. No shortcuts. No cheating.
My friend, today is a new day. Use it wisely. Today has different opportunities than yesterday. It had different views and challenges than yesterday. It is today.
Many millions didn't get a today. You did.
You may be confused about life. You may not understand what God is doing. It's ok.
He still says peace, be still, still says to trust Him.
Trust and Obey. God still is in the business of moving mountains. Big ones and small ones.
You may not understand, and that's ok!
In recent years He's been teaching me to simplify my life. Declutter. Remove what has no real purpose in my life. To stop and think before I go after something.
The more that I do the easier it's becoming to find peace. To find a way for my busy mind to calm down.
Pray always is what the simple version of the command from the New Testament says. Talk with Jesus. Not as a Master to a Servant. But as a child to our Savior. In the world of Masters and Servants, they didn't share their hearts. Of what was on their minds. Jesus calls us friends.
Friends share what's burdening them.
Friends call on friends when help is needed.
If you haven't been praying that way, start today. Talk about everything with Jesus. He is more than eager to hear from the real you. Not the version of you that keeps asking for a grocery list of things.
He can bind up the wounds of the broken hearted. He can show you great and wonderful things you did not know. Start today won't you? There's far more to a life with Christ than we can understand in this life. He's eager to be a part of your life.
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