How to Trust God When You Don’t Understand His Ways
Have you ever wondered why God created the world the way He did? Have you ever questioned His choices for you? Is it hard to trust God consistently when there’s a list of things you wish He’d done differently?
Have you ever looked in the mirror and complained about the way God made you? Your hair, height, personality, abilities, or obsessions?
Have you ever grumbled about the way He created someone else?
What about His commands? Have you ever questioned His reasoning?
If you haven’t read the Whiny Wilderness Wanderer’s account for a while, take a moment to refresh your memory. Their 40-year journey to the Promised Land is full of grumbling and complaining. Like us, they struggled to trust God for the present and the future.
Paul continued his message about God accomplishing His plans through those who reject Him with a question…
Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the One who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?
Romans 9:20b–21
Paul was reminding readers then and now to trust God, the Creator of everyone and everything.
The Life Application Bible Notes add…
“The Creator has control over the created object. The object has no right to demand anything from its Creator—its very existence depends on Him.”
Ouch, that makes my whining seem rather foolish. Father God, our Creator, is using you, me, everyone, and everything He created to achieve His plans and purposes.
When I think about it, I’m reminded that…
It’s often the people in the most difficult circumstances who touch the lives of others with God’s love.
Over our years in ministry…
- I’ve seen weekly joy-filled worship and praise from a handicapped child who struggled to move and speak.
- I’ve observed people living out the end of their lives with hope and joy.
- I’ve viewed grievers expressing huge love and lifting high the name of Jesus.
- I’ve also seen the most critical and demanding individuals motivate the faithful to cling to Jesus and one another.
Paul continued…
In the same way, even though God has the right to show His anger and His power, He is very patient with those on whom His anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those to whom He shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
Romans 9:22–23
God has every right to punish with death those who disobey and reject Him, but He often chooses to use them to accomplish His will. And even though we may not understand, the One who made all things uses patience and love to change lives.
What does that mean for you and me? What are we to do with our questions and complaints? How should we react to people who reject God and His commands?
PRAY and TRUST GOD!
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.
1 Timothy 2:1–6
Whether it’s someone whom we know personally or some political leader. We are to PRAY and ask the Lord to work His transforming power in our lives and theirs.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Trust God
When You Don’t Understand
Father God, You are Creator and Lord of All. I thank and praise You for making it possible for me to know and believe that truth.
Although I KNOW and LOVE You, like the Wilderness Wanderers, I’m guilty of doubting Your ways. I complain more than I pray. And I’m so very sorry. I whine about the way You made me and the challenges they offer. I question things I see in others and moan about the world’s problems. And I’m guilty of listening to the many other grumblers and complainers, too. Please forgive me.
You are Creator and Sovereign God. Who am I to question You? Who am I to doubt Your ways. You have an eternal plan, and You are always working to accomplish it.
I am called to LOVE, TRUST, and OBEY even when I don’t understand. Forgive me when I fall short. By the power of Your Spirit, please work in me and help me love You with trust and obedience. Please help me love and care for others as You desire.
Strengthen me to speak Your TRUTH gently and respectfully. Prompt me to count my blessings without grumbling and complaining. Show me Your ways and give me all I need to follow. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Paul added…
They were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in Him.
Romans 9:32
I think that’s our problem today. We judge others while trying to believe we’re doing it right. We lose patience and question God’s patience. We focus on our problems more than praise God for our blessings.
I love this quote from Charles Spurgeon and find it helpful…
“My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, HE is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in who Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah!”
May we intentionally count our blessings and focus on the Lord’s generous grace, mercy, and love for us and others. Our Creator is trustworthy. He has a perfect plan even when we don’t understand.
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God’s ways are not our ways, and we should place our faith and trust in the One who created us, this world and all it contains. The pot should never think it can outshine the Potter.
Blessings, Deb!
Amen, Martha! It’s our reminder to remain humble and grateful. God bless you, dear friend!
How wonderful that you have urged us to pray for people. It is such a gift when someone prays for us. I treasure it when someone tells me that they have me or my family in their prayers.
I love to pray for folks too.
There are so many things I don’t understand about God’s ways, but I know it is not for me to understand. It is just for me to trust in HIM and HIS ways and what HE wants for me. I know that GOD knows best, and I am so thankful that I am in this place in my life now. The little saying, “let go and let God” has a lot of meaning.
Thank you for a beautiful post. Once again, I praise your wisdom.
Blessings and hugs to you.
Thanks so much God is faithful despite our unfaithfulness to him we as humans always complain, But before we start to complain let us first look at the wonderful things he does for us, our lives , food, health he give to us, with all these and more we ought to be thankful to him
This is truth, Sita! It’s so easy to turn to complaining but when we start by counting our blessings, we remember that He is truly trustworthy. Thank you for your uplifting words. God bless you!