Don't Second-Guess God

 

By Andrea Merrell

As for God, His way is perfect. Psalm 18:30 NIV

“Give your burden to God,” the pastor said. “Lay it at His feet and walk away empty-handed. Trust Him for the answer.”

I did what he said. It lasted about ten minutes. I picked my burden back up and continued to carry it. The worst part is that I gave the Lord several suggestions on how to fix the problem. I’m sure He was grateful for my sage advice (😊) but said, “I’ve got this … if you’ll let go.”

Why is it that we think we’re smarter and wiser than the God of the universe? The Creator of heaven and earth? The all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present God?

Paul says it best in Romans 9:20-21 (MSG):

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn’t talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, “Why did you shape me like this?” Isn’t it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans?

There are so many things in this world we will never understand until we see the Lord face-to-face. And I imagine when we do, all those trivial matters we worried about, struggled with, and tried to fix will become meaningless in the light of His glory.

Don’t be guilty of second-guessing God. Give up the right to understand His ways—which are so much higher than ours—and learn to trust Him for the outcome. He is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem.

As the psalmist David said, “As for God, His way is perfect.”

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Don’t be guilty of second-guessing God. Give up the right to understand His ways—which are so much higher than ours—and trust Him for the outcome. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

 

                            

This Too Shall Pass

By Andrea Merrell

Ever have so many problems you feel as if you won’t make it through another day? I’ve had many of those moments, especially within the past year, and have found myself saying, “This too shall pass.”

We all know trials are part of this earthly existence. They come with the package. But our response to them can many times determine the length and severity. Keeping our focus on the Lord instead of the problem is the biggest key.

Our burdens may seem to linger with no end in sight, but they all have a shelf life. Situations and circumstances I once thought would never change have been transformed by God’s miraculous, loving hand. With Him all things are truly possible. In fact, God calls those heavy burdens “light and momentary troubles” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV). The verse goes on to say that these troubles are gaining for us “an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” I love the way the Message puts it in verses 16-18:

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

I’ve learned that when the storms of life rage all around me and the darkness closes in, my hope is renewed as I look to the One who loves me, is always with me, and cares about everything that concerns me. With one single word, He can calm the storm and cause the light to break through. Even if the storm continues to rage, He fills me with His peace and gives me a new, godly perspective.

If you’re experiencing a trial that is threatening to take you under, don’t give up. Be still and listen for His voice. He is saying to you, “Hold tightly to my hand, my child. This too shall pass.”

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles. )

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Keep your eyes on the Lord instead of your problem, because this too shall pass. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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How Big is God?

Want to read about trouble? Try the Bible.

The headline proclaims: Prophet gets swallowed by huge fish. Or what about this one? Devout believer has sleep-over with lions. Then there’s always: Three respected city leaders tossed into the King’s furnace. Talk about a fiery trial . . .

And you think you have problems?

What about Stephen, who was stoned for his faith? Or Paul, who was beaten, rejected, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and left for dead, all because he was trying to serve God and spread His Word?

And you think you have problems?

Ever heard the story of the man who was upset because he had no shoes—that is, until he saw a man with no feet? It seems everything in life is relative. If I have a problem—if I’m in the midst of a crisis and feeling overwhelmed and alone—all I have to do is look around and find someone in worse shape than me.

Too often, we focus on what we don’t have and forget to be thankful for what we do have. Tests, trials, and temptations are a given. They come with the territory. They are a part of this life-package and everyone faces them at some point and to some degree. The good news for us is that God is always there to guide, protect, and see us through. He can take any situation, turn it around, and use it to benefit us and bring glory to His name.

An old song says, “If I never had a problem, I’d never know God could solve it.” God is not the problem-sender. He is the problem-solver. Just like He divided the Red Sea, tore down the walls of Jericho, shut the lions’ mouths, and delivered the three Hebrew fellows from the fiery furnace, He will be there for YOU and make a way of escape.

How big is God? Bigger than your problems.

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God is bigger than all your problems. via @AndreaMerrell Click to Tweet.)