BUT GOD
‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ – JEREMIAH 29:11
We like Jeremiah 29:11 about the plans God has for us, but how often do we question when things aren’t working according to our plan?
These kinds of questions come up frequently in the Bible, and the answer is often, “But God.” I found numerous verses, and I chose a few that appealed to me.
Noah and his family were on the ark for 150 days and were probably wondering when they would be on dry land again. But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. Genesis 8:1
It’s not that God had forgotten them! But, as part of His plan, it was now time for Him to start the process of drying out and restoring the land. He knew all along what He was going to do, but Noah and his family did not.
Later on, Joseph went through a difficult time at the hands of his brothers, but it finally worked out according to God’s plan. His brothers were fearful when they realized who Pharoah’s second in command was, and they thought he would retaliate. So, Joseph told them, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:20
The New Testament has some very important examples for us:
Act 13:30 – But God raised Him from the dead
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:4-6 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
We tend to seek our own way, and seek our own solutions for things, but God ...
In a CBMC Connect3 Team meeting yesterday, one of the men who has a side-line ministry for helping people, shared a story about buying an appliance for a family. He was hesitant about spending that kind of money, but sensed it was the right thing to do. The next day he got a check from a donor for that amount! He was helping another family with a car problem that turned out to be bigger than anticipated, but he was committed. The next day, he got a bonus from his company that covered it! We may have questions, but God …
Think and pray
Have you considered that God might want to teach you how to trust Him by not giving you all the answers right up front?
Heavenly Father, help me to table my questions for the time being and choose to worship and trust You in this moment. In Jesus’ name, amen!
Eldon Kibbey has served as the Director of CBMC Indiana since 1998. His earlier career included a tour of duty with the US Air Force, a brief career in the aerospace industry with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, and then 26 years at the helm of a national janitorial service. Eldon and his wife, Sandy, are the parents of four children, and have three grandsons.