DT 29.29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
There are many profound and perplexing mysteries in life, like why could the Steelers win the Super Bowl one year and play so dismally the next? Why did God create okra? Or opera? Why does Jefferson Davis look so thin? Or how anyone can ever hope to get enough antioxidants without consuming large quantities of coffee every day?
There are things that are truly sad and difficult to understand. Why would a young mom get MS? Why would a 1-year-old child die? Why does God not save everyone? We’ve probably all got questions like these, that when we die, we want to make a beeline to the throne and ask God about.
If we knew all mysteries, we’d be equal to God. There are secret things that belong to him alone. But he’s given us his Word, which holds all we need to know and do.
So I try not to trouble myself with questions God won’t answer, like:
- What if I pray for a person who’s not elect?
- What if it’s not God’s will to heal someone I pray for?
- Why does God tell me to pray if he has ordained all things that happen?
- Why am I going through this particular trial?
- Why did God allow me to make a decision that resulted in grief?
We can’t know God’s deep will in suffering, but we know he’s always good. We don’t know why God doesn’t elect everyone, but we know he’s perfectly just. We don’t know the future, but we know Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. We don’t need to know if God has chosen those we pray for, but we know he desires none to perish. We don’t know if the Lord will heal a Christian sister, but we know he’ll work affliction for her good. We don’t know how we’ll experience God, but we know he’ll draw near to us if we draw near to him. We don’t know if God will give us all we ask for, but we know he’ll give us all we need to glorify him.
What questions do you leave in God’s hands?
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
I may get into trouble for this one, but mine is how could He love the church? His Bride? My only inkling of a clue is that maybe it’s a manifestation of His grace. I still find it almost as shocking as His love, mercy and grace for me. So, I love the church and leave the why in His hands.
You're right, Jack. There is no reason Jesus should love his church or any one of us. We have nothing in us that he needs or could desire. It's his sheer grace, as you said.
I love reading your blog. It challenges me mentally, spiritually & practically.
For me, it's never been about NOT asking questions we should not ask. The corrrective to me is (1) when we ask those questions are they born from a desire to know God better and see his heart more?, and (2) we need to ask better questions.
It's clear to anyone more than 3 that we don't always get answers and some things will forever, in this life, be unknown to us. But if we ask questions about grace, mercy, and the will of God we should ask them with one eye always on the real question: "how is God glorified by this?" Often it just directs us back to sovereignty on His part and faith on ours. This is good.
Lee,
You are exactly right – the real question is how is God glorified by this? Sometimes we can't see the answer to that question, but we can trust that in his sovereignty he will be glorified by all he does.
As for better questions, instead of possing challenges to God – why are you this way, why did you do that – we should pose challenges to ourself. Why did I not act more kindly? Why did I ignore the person asking for change instead coughing up a buck or two, and a smile, and say at very least "God bless you"? Why am I so impatient with the people who need me to be patient the most?
We are saved by grace. Christ has saved us from the consequences of our sins by taking them on himself. But I wonder often if some of the more practical failures of this life won't demand some explanation in the next?. If I understand the nature of heaven and grace, perhaps not. But what if we lived our life more like we aren't expecting a free pass for every stupid thing we do now? And by the term "we", I mean definitely me and maybe you, too.
These, I think, are the better questions.
Hey Lee,
Grace not only saves us, but also transforms us as it says in Titus 2.11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Grace should cause us to be zealous for good works, like blessing the person asking for change. By God's grace, I want to grow more and more in my zeal for good works.
Thanks for commenting again!
"we know he’s always good." Yes. Amen.
Thanks Matt!
Why would He choose me? I could never fully understand His wrath towards me as a sinner and I will never fully understand His love for me now as His daughter. I have so many questions for Him but I rest in the truth I know about Him.
Corrie Ten Boom's father once answered her demands for answers by asking her to move a heavy suitcase. When she became frustrated at her feeble efforts, he quickly and easily moved the suitcase. He told her it was the same for the answers she demanded of him – the knowledge was too heavy for her to carry but no burden for him. So it is with the mysteries of God.
Great comments, Elaine!
We'll never understand our loving Savior's unfathomable love for us!
Outstanding illustration from Corrie Ten Boom!
Oh, I have too many questions to ask, most of them insignificant.
Hi Lauren,
I'm sure all of our questions will vanish when we see the face of Christ!
This is really hard because it comes down to trusting in the goodness and righteousness of God. I often want to know the answers to the very questions you posed to assure me that God is in fact faithful and just, good and righteous, worthy to trust with complete abandon…I struggle with this. I wish I didn't. I was reading Proverbs 3:5-8 this morning…man that's hard. To lean not on our own understanding…isn't that what we are trained to do?
Hi Jessica,
You are right – sometimes it's incredibly hard to trust in the goodness, righteousness and love of God. That's the good fight of faith – the fight to trust God and his word when "what we are trained to do" is trust our senses and our own reason. I've found as I've walked with the Lord for about 36 years that he is always faithful. That doesn't mean I haven't struggled to trust him at times. I'm still fighting to trust him for a number of things.
I know he'll be faithful to you too! Thank you for commenting!
Paper or plastic?
Dave,
I think you just asked the question of the ages. If we go with paper, we destroy the forests; if we choose plastic we deplete the oil reserves. It's a mystery best left inside and pondered.
Jessica – I completely agree…it's hard! I pray almost daily "God, help me trust You!" cause I know I lack and often fail in that area.
Trusting God for the unknown and unknowable is hard – I've got many things I've been praying about for years that are unanswered – yet I need to trust God's goodness and faithfulness and leave the rest to Him, while keeping my eyes on the Cross.
Tom,
Thanks for adding your comments to Jessica! Especially "keeping my eyes on the Cross." The cross is the proof of God's infinite love to us. If he gave his Son, surely he'll be faithful to care for all our other needs.
Thanks guys. I was thinking about this…whenever I am stuck…it draws me back when I reflect on Rom 5….he laid down his life for me. That's testimony to something, even when I can't piece the rest of the details together.
That's excellent, Jessica. That's where we always need to rest – in God's love for us demonstrated on the cross. There will always be things we can't piece together, but we know for sure that Jesus loves us.
Hey Mark,
In response to the questions that appear more contradictory, like, "Why does God tell me to pray if he has ordained all things that happen?" or, "Why does God not save everyone if he desires all people to be saved?" –
I recently read this helpful comment in the book, The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer, p36:
"If all this appears self-contradictory – Amen, be it so. The various elements of truth stand in perpetual antithesis, sometimes requiring us to believe apparent opposites while we wait for the moment when we shall know as we are known. The truth which now appears to be in conflict with itself will arise in shining unity and it will be seen that the conflict has not been in the truth but in our sin-damaged minds."
Amen! – one day it will all become clear!
That's a very interesting post. One of the questions specifically jumped out at me: "What if it's not God's will to heal someone I pray for?"
Shouldn't we be careful to hear God's will? How do we know when to first discover His will instead of not trouble ourselves with it?
(Future blog post idea, perhaps?)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
I too would like to hear more about knowing God's will. In real specific practical ways, how does this manifest itself in ones life? I don't want to put myself on the throne and do whatever I want, but on the flip-side I don't think I need to pray about every left hand turn I take in my car.
Hey Ben,
Great comments. A great source on this topic is the book Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. I highly recommend it. I agree, we don't have to pray about every left hand turn. When it comes to major decisions, I would pray (God promises to give us wisdom and guidance), regularly read the Word, and seek a multitude of counselors. If it comes down to having to make a decision and you don't have clear guidance from the Lord after praying and seeking counsel, then I would just trust make the decision and trust the Lord to guide you.
Great question Marshall!
When it comes to healing, I always ask the Lord to heal people, since when Jesus walked the earth he healed everyone who came to him and asked. I know he doesn't always heal, and many I've prayed for haven't been healed, but Jesus said keep asking, seeking, knocking, so I will do that until he reveals that it's not his will to heal.
Great quote Bob! Thanks for adding it to the discussion. Someday the truth will all become clear.
It’s great to hear that others question. The enemy has used this as of late to depress me. Some people believe and accept all, no questions asked.and thats good, especially when their household is saved
But it’s hard when your desire, is for your child to be saved from pershing or your husband, but also knowing that they might not be elected, it’s like is my training up a child or attempting to in vain or praying is of no avail, or maybe my prayers are not effectual.
Hey Renee,
It is normal to have questions at times. But we always want to focus on the truths that we do know. Keep praying for your child and your husband, because Jesus told us to pray, to keep asking, seeking, knocking and we WILL receive, find and have the door opened. Jesus never told us to try to figure out if someone is elect or not, but he did tell us to pray.
There are many promises that parents can ask the Lord to fulfill. Isaiah 59.21 is one of my favorites: “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.” I pray it all the time for my children.
Jesus said we should pray always and not give up. Don’t quit praying for your husband and your children. I believe that since he put you in their lives and you pray for them that it would be his will to save them. As far as our prayers being effectual, I don’t ever FEEL like my prayers are effectual. But in James the Lord says “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” so I sometimes thank the Lord that my prayers have great power because the Lord says they do, even though I don’t feel any great power or see any results yet in those I’m praying for.
Hope these thoughts are helpful.
wondering what happened to post.
Hi Renee,
I answered it this morning – don't know what happened – I didn't delete it. Sorry. I'll check into it.
Hi Renee, I found what you wrote –
It’s great to hear that others question. The enemy has used this as of late to depress me. Some people believe and accept all, no questions asked.and thats good, especially when their household is saved
But it’s hard when your desire, is for your child to be saved from pershing or your husband, but also knowing that they might not be elected, it’s like is my training up a child or attempting to in vain or praying is of no avail, or maybe my prayers are not effectual.
Here's my answer:
Hey Renee,
It is normal to have questions at times. But we always want to focus on the truths that we do know. Keep praying for your child and your husband, because Jesus told us to pray, to keep asking, seeking, knocking and we WILL receive, find and have the door opened. Jesus never told us to try to figure out if someone is elect or not, but he did tell us to pray.
There are many promises that parents can ask the Lord to fulfill. Isaiah 59.21 is one of my favorites: “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.” I pray it all the time for my children.
Jesus said we should pray always and not give up. Don’t quit praying for your husband and your children. I believe that since he put you in their lives and you pray for them that it would be his will to save them. As far as our prayers being effectual, I don’t ever FEEL like my prayers are effectual. But in James the Lord says “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” so I sometimes thank the Lord that my prayers have great power because the Lord says they do, even though I don’t feel any great power or see any results yet in those I’m praying for.
Hope these thoughts are helpful.