We understand your struggle and questioning is a normal part of faith and growing in our walk with Christ. Firstly, we must understand God does not always work or answer in our timing or expectations. Truly God is sovereign and transcendent, and His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts, just as the heavens are higher than the earth.
It is wonderful that you acknowledge a journey, God uses them to teach us and guide us into truth. God took years to teach you because He knows you intimately and is working in your life in just the way He planned. God knew you before you were born, just as He knew Jeremiah. ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ This is no less true just because you did not realize it. Jeremiah 1:5 WEB.
Jesus did not correct the disciples every time they misunderstood His mission and His teaching; rather, He was patient and He taught them for the duration of His time on earth. Even after Christ's ascension to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles and the new believers in the early church. Jesus told His disciples, ‘I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.’ John 16:12-13 WEB. So, it is by the Holy Spirit that we understand spiritual things.
In fact, if you truly are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit in you. ‘Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?’ 1 Corinthians 3:16 WEB. Jesus also said, ‘However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.’ John 16:13 WEB. So by the Spirit we can understand the will of God. This is a divine plan.
God also uses His Word to teach us. When you mention you learned through experience and common sense, you must realize God gave you these things and He uses them to teach you. In fact, common sense can come from a knowledge of God’s Word which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Psalm 119:105.
Be careful not to lean on your own understanding. ‘Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.’ Proverbs 3:5-6 WEB. Rather, trust in God.
God is not like us; He knows the beginning from the end. He knows the best and most loving way to guide us. He is the perfect Father. He is the only One who is good. We are so limited in our vision and understanding. His wisdom is like a deep abyss.
For wisdom is unlimited in activity. She pervades and penetrates all things by reason of her purity. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a clear stream of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled can enter into her. For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. Wisdom 7:24-26 WEB.
Expecting God to make everything perfectly efficient reveals a lack of understanding of the effects of the fall. We live in a cursed world, a world where sin and death have dominion. ‘To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.’ Then to Adam he said, ‘Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it,” cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.’ Genesis 3:16-17 WEB. We also live in a world where Satan has power. ‘Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. He said to him, “All these things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”’ Matthew 4:9-10 WEB.
We look forward to the day when Jesus returns and remakes the heavens and the earth and removes the curse. ‘I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.” He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”’ Revelation 21:3-5 WEB.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we come before You seeking Your wisdom and guidance. Help us to understand Your ways and Your will. Give us patience as we learn from You. Help us to trust in You. Open our eyes to see the way You are guiding us. Help us to be aware of the Holy Spirit teaching us.
In Jesus Name.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. Bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding.
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