Our Own Understanding

Recently I heard a Christian couple, Geoff and Sandra Moon, tell the story of how their two children were killed in a tragic car accident, how God had used their Christian testimony in the media, and how they had coped with their grief. Sandra said that she had come much closer to God through it all, and had developed a daily quiet time, in which, she said, she felt like she was sitting at Jesus' feet.

One of the things she said that struck me was that people had kept asking her why this had happened. But it had never crossed her mind to ask that. She quoted these verses:
Proverbs 3:5-6 – 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. (NKJV)

I had never associated this verse with our human tendency to ask "Why?" usually with an irritated or angry edge to it. I had often counselled people that God does have a plan, and that part of that plan is not to reveal the plan until afterwards, otherwise the effect of the plan would be ruined. I would compliment people who asked "Why?" because it revealed their trust that, in fact, God does have a reason for everything that He does. But I had never seen that verse in this light: to trust God means not to insist on understanding everything. In His good time, everything will become plain. In the meantime, we trust.

Prayer: Thank you, God, that we can know that, indeed, You do have a wonderful plan for our lives. Until it becomes clear, help us to trust Your wisdom and goodness, and not to insist on understanding Your plan first. Amen.

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