How Do You Handle the Whys?

 

By Andrea Merrell

I know the Lord is always with me.
    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
    My body rests in safety.

Psalm 16:8-9 NLT

 

A young husband dies. A godly man. Healthy. Leader in the church. Everyone wonders why.

A single, hard-working mom loses her job and her home. She has to go on welfare. No one can understand why.

I’ve had my own share of whys over the years, especially when both my son and daughter became prodigals. There was no logical explanation for their actions.

David—shepherd, psalmist, and king—experienced the same dilemma. Throughout the Book of Psalms he cried out to God and asked “why?” But even when he didn’t get the answers he longed for, he said, “I know the Lord is with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.”

David knew where his help came from. He was able to rejoice even when there were no answers to his whys. He gave up the right to understand and chose to trust in the Lord—no matter what. His joy and sense of well-being were not determined by his circumstances.

There are many things that will remain a mystery until we see the Lord face-to-face. If your whys are not being answered, give up the right to understand and trust the Lord instead. Then you can safely rest in His loving hands.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Isolated Images.

 

Don’t Limit Yourself

 

By Andrea Merrell

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 NKJV

 

“I can’t do it. It’s impossible!”

I can’t count the number of times I’ve said those words—or at least thought them. Watching others do things I wished I could do while convincing myself I couldn’t.

Remember the story of The Little Engine That Could. What if his mindset and confession had been, “I don’t think I can … I don’t think I can …”

He would still be sitting at the bottom of the hill.

We spend so much thinking we can’t that when God asks us to do something, we procrastinate or panic. We focus on our weaknesses and limitations rather than believing we can do all things through Christ who strengthens and empowers us to do what He calls us to do.

The Word for You Today (TWFYT) says, “Believing you can doesn’t guarantee you will, but believing you can’t guarantees you won’t.”

I think about all the times in my life when my response was an immediate, “I can’t.” All the times I’ve limited myself because I was depending on myself instead of Him.

TWFYT goes on to say, “If you want to achieve something, give yourself permission to believe it is possible, then trust God for success."

God has much for you to do, so don’t limit yourself. Be like that little engine and say, “I think I can … I believe I can … I know I can—because through Christ I can do all things.

Photo by Chang Ye on Unsplash

When Nothing Makes Sense

 

By Andrea Merrell

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

 

“I’ve got to figure this out,” my friend said as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Make some sense out of it. I just don’t understand.”

I could certainly understand her pain. Let’s face it, there are times in our life when absolutely nothing makes sense. I can look back on different scenarios when I went through a series of hard times and, as we all do, wanted to know why.

What I’ve learned over the years is that being God’s child means I put my faith, hope, and trust in Him—and Him alone. I cannot depend on my own perspective. And most importantly, I must give up my right to understand because God doesn’t owe me an explanation. His ways and thoughts are so much higher and greater than mine. He’s given me His Word, His Spirit, and His promise to never leave me.

He’s also promised to work all things together for my good. That means no matter what life throws at me, God can turn it into something for my benefit and His glory. He makes beauty out of ashes and turns mourning into joy. Only God.

When nothing makes sense, stop over-analyzing and start trusting the One who can make all things right.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and imagerymajestic.)

Learn to Embrace Change

 

By Andrea Merrell

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

 

“I don’t like this,” the woman said to me. “My life used to be so simple. I just want everything to stay the same.”

Change is inevitable. We all resist it from time to time, but it’s the only constant we can count on. People change. Rules change. Situations change, sometimes for the good, sometimes not. But the more we resist—and try to hold on to the past—the harder it becomes to go forward, grow in our faith, and maintain our peace.

This world is in a constant, ever-evolving state of transformation, but God and His Word never change. The Bible says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119: 89). And when we give our hearts and lives to Him, our name is forever engraved on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16).

Seasons come and seasons go. There is a time and purpose for everything. Don’t fight the changes in your life. Embrace them and trust God for the outcome.

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash