“Why does God allow things that apparently make no sense and leave us questioning, even when we believe we are seeking His will and guidance?”
The Bible has many stories where “God’s choice” did not make sense to men:
- David and Goliath – God chose the least likely and least equipped, in mans’ view, warrior, David to face the giant.
- God chose the weakest tribe, Manasseh, and a leader whom God’s angel found hiding in fear and doubt from the Midianites; Gideon, the youngest, to be His great champion.
- Multiply times, God chose to use a younger brother, vice the first born for special missions on the Earth, over the firstborn son. This is not the behavior expected by man from a Biblical standpoint: (See Note 1)
- God accepted Abel’s offering over Cain’s.
- God chose to make Jacob the father of the 12 tribes of Israel over the older twin Esau.
- God chose to use Joseph (the 11th of 12 brothers) to be a leader and second in command to Pharaoh in Egypt.
- Aaron was the older brother, but God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt
- Solomon was chosen by God to be king instead of older brothers.
- God chose David to be king over seven older brothers.
- In 1 Corinthians 15:9-11, Paul comments on how unlikely that he, Saul – the persecutor of believers, should be chosen to become Paul, the great Apostle. —
Note 1: Search your Bible for the rights and blessings of the ‘first born’
Let us see what Paul had to say to the Corinthians about such Godly surprises —
1 Corinthians 1 (ESV):
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” {Isaiah 29:14}
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”{Jeremiah 9:24}
There is a contemporary Christian song, from 2015, called — “Trust In You” ← Link by Lauren Daigle I prefer to link to copyright material except for short quotes. So, with Credits to Songwriters = LAUREN DAIGLE, MICHAEL FARREN, PAUL MABURY Published by Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC — Follow this link for the words = LYRICS ← Link
I think this song summarizes well, the perspective Paul paints of a God: a God who perplexes & confounds us, turning our logical decisions to dust. A God who does not move the mountain WE think should be moved, does not open that easy path through the waters that WE want, and does not instantly answer the question WE want answered. When we realize that only GOD knows what tomorrow brings – There is nothing left but to TRUST GOD.
We are short sighted: God sees things from an eternal perspective, we live in the “now”. God has a purpose for each of us, and He watches over us, and He DOES KNOW what tomorrow brings. When I originally wrote this (in 2016 for a biker Bible study), I had just spent a week of consternation and worry looking at what appeared to be a serious, expensive problem with my truck – The issue started when taking the wife to the airport & the issue ended the day before she came home, when I finally figured out it was a much cheaper and less serious combination of issues. Years ago, I would not have thought much about this in terms of God. I have some different insight now: No one knows me better than God, and chasing a problem I could not solve for close to a week certainly kept me busy and derailed my original plans — Makes me wonder what perils lay hidden in that path: the path I did not trod because I was busy chasing a challenging, but non-existent problem.
Often English translations of the Bible use the word “believe” with respect to our relationship with Christ. Our mental image today might be better served by translations that use the word “trust”.
Does what we view as perplexing behavior on God’s part drive us to deeper faith? If it drives us to prayer, study of His Word, and consultation with other believers, it does.
Finally, I will leave you with a vision of puppies. Puppies chew on things when teething – It is what they do. If we ignore that fact, and leave puppies to their own desires, we should not be surprised when we come home and find the legs chewed off the coffee table. However, we can wisely choose to provide the puppy a chew toy, and keep the puppy comfortably confined in a kennel when unsupervised. In both cases, the puppy is happy. The puppy is not wise enough to know we have orchestrated things in a manner that provides for the puppy’s needs and happiness, while at the same time providing opportunities and an atmosphere to learn proper behavior. So, if we wonder about the times we find God’s apparent behavior perplexing, we must also wonder if there are times we are not even wise enough to perceive God’s actions at all, much less see them as perplexing. We are made in God’s image, and I find puppies adorable, and think nothing of organizing things they cannot possible comprehend to allow them to be safe and happy. I may be perplexed and confused by how God provides for my needs, happiness, and opportunities – but I can reflect on being created in God’s image, and trust that God is happily organizing things I cannot possible comprehend because I am His.
With Lauren Daigle, I can sing about trusting God, even when I do not understand God’s motives or plans. My wandering neither distracts nor distresses God. God knows what tomorrow brings. God’s plans are always good. God, the Mighty Warrior, King of the Fight. In these things are assurance and strength where there is confidence and comfort – Confidence that when needful, God even provides distractions … kind of like that ‘chew toy’ that kept me occupied and away from some peril I knew nothing about.