When I Don’t Understand

“Surely I spoke about things I don’t understand, things too wonderful for me to know…therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them.”   Job 42:3b, 6

In the final chapters of the book of Job, he openly spoke about his innocence, and because of that, he couldn’t make sense of what God was doing in his life. His confusion gave way to a level of accusation against God for what his life had become. In chapters 38-41, God responds to Job by proclaiming in detail His sovereignty and absolute control and care of everything He has made…from  hailstones and lightening to deer and donkeys. When God gets done talking, Job is completely humbled. Part of his response is the verses above. 

I think this resonates in my own soul because I do not fully understand what God is doing in my life at any given time (do any of us, really?). I plan my ways but it’s the Lord who determines my steps (Prov. 16:9), and more often than not, He is doing something different than the way I thought it would go. Although I would say that I never seek to accuse God, I am guilty of it nonetheless. Whenever I begin to worry, I’m accusing God of not truly being in control. Whenever I grow angry, I am accusing God of not knowing the end from the beginning. Whenever I lose my joy, I am accusing God of not truly being good and always doing what is good. My thoughts and my actions accuse God, even though I would never say those exact words out loud. 

God literally spoke His words to Job and reminded Job of who He is. That was all that was needed to humble Job, to cause him to repent of his words against God, and instead declare the wonder of who He is and what He has done. Much like Job, the only way I can go from accusing to trusting and exalting is to first open up the Word of God and listen to Him by reading His precious Words. I need to “hear” Him speak through the pages of Scripture so that I can recognize my sin and confess and repent…both to God and anyone I have sinned against.  

True repentance and humility before God means I stop grumbling and complaining when people don’t do as I want, or situations don’t go as I think they ought to. It means I stop assuming that I understand or know the best way, and then get irritated if that “way” does not happen. 

And it means that I rest. I rest in the knowledge that I don’t fully understand most things, but God knows all things. I rest in the reality that my God “is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3) He does not just know, but He is in control and ruling over all.  I rest in the truth that “for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  All that He is doing is too wonderful for me to comprehend! 

He is worthy of all our worship and praise and so much more! Yes, the trials will come and the days will be hard and we just might not understand…but I pray we all would have hearts that trust and rest in our Creator and Redeemer. I pray that out of the overflow of our hearts, our lips would speak truth, not assumption; that our mouths would utter words of praise and not doubt; so that our self-centered speech is replaced by voices that declare and exalt the glory and power of our living God! 

“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Isaiah 25:1