God knows best

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 [KJV]

Jigsaw puzzle

My sister and I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles. We were working together, when my sister looked over at my part and exclaimed, “Oh, is that where that piece goes! I could not figure out where it fitted.”

Each puzzle piece fits into only one spot, yet it often takes a long time for us to see where they join. When I do a puzzle, read an account of Israel’s past, or hear a Christian’s life story, I’m reminded that our lives, our churches and earth’s history are made up of many pieces, fitted together perfectly according to God’s divine purposes. I look back over my own life. I still don’t know how some of the pieces fit together. But in other places, I see God’s sovereignty in those moments, incidents and influences that have shaped my faith, character and perspective.

A sense of awe fills me as I reflect on God’s leading: “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men!” (Psalm 31:19). Yet I face an unknown future. God’s masterplan for my life will be far more rewarding than any plan I or someone else can dream up. But how can we be so sure of this?

Because God knows everything, He can work things together to accomplish His purposes for me. The Bible says, “O lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off,” (Psalm 139:1-2). How often have we done something that had unexpected consequences? Maybe somebody was offended by what we thought was a kind gesture, or our dream job quickly became a nightmare. But God knows both our beginning and our end. He said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,” (Jeremiah 1:5a), and spoke of the nation of Judah, saying, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). Rather than relying on our own pathetic predictions, we should instead trust the God who knows everything, for, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). There are no obstacles too great for God. Whether it is a hostile work manager, trauma, family issues, financial limitations, a world that doesn’t care about Christ, or a mess I made myself, there is nothing too hard for “the Lord, the God of all flesh” (Jeremiah 32:27).

God cares about us and wants us to be part of accomplishing His will. He loves us and has called us to be His children (Galatians 3:26). Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Queen Esther felt powerless to advocate for the lives of the Jewish people, but Mordecai, Esther’s childhood guardian, understood two facts: that God is sovereign, and that we are accountable for our actions. He told her, “For if thou [Esther] altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). God’s plans will be accomplished, even if I rebel, but He lovingly wants us to experience the blessing of obedience, not the curse of disobedience.

God makes known to us what we need to know of His will. As a teenager, I remember anxiously asking my father: what if I unknowingly walked past the man God intended to be my future husband on the street? My father replied, God will have him carry a sign with your name on it. While I laugh (now) at this response, it is true that if we love God and obey Him in faith, we will not miss seeing God’s signposts. Proverbs 3:5-6 promises, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Lamentations 3:25 says, “The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.”

In a world where milliseconds is the difference between a near-miss and a fatal accident, I am thankful that we have an all-knowing God who guides us. It’s scary to step out in faith, and can be even more unsettling to wait and trust God to reveal His will. Waiting on God (see blog post titled ‘Lord, teach me to be an eagle’) is an essential concept non-Christians cannot understand. They’ll tell you to ‘put yourself out there’ on a dating app or say an online questionnaire will pick a career for you. But waiting on God is the only way to know His blessing. In Joshua chapter 9, we read how the Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making a treaty with them because he “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord” (v14). Are we deciding what we want, or are we waiting on God and asking Him to show us His will?

Do what the Bible tells us is right. Don’t ignore what God’s Word says on that matter or other aspects. Micah 6:8 says, God “hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Are we doing those things? Can I honestly say what David said, “O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day,” (Psalm 119:97)? Am I attending a church fellowship in obedience to Hebrews 10:25? While you wait, concerned about your own future, don’t forget to obey God’s instructions to consider and serve others; “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Philippians 2:4).

The Holy Spirit helps us to understand God’s will. Jesus said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you,” (John 14:26). While our desires can lead us astray, the Holy Spirit prompts us in accordance with God’s revealed will in the Scriptures.

Seek counsel from godly people who know you and your circumstances. Pride tells us to do whatever we want, regardless of what others say, but the Bible says God uses asking for and receiving counsel to reveal His will to us. “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end,” (Proverbs 19:20). Counsel can be sought from godly parents, a pastor, or other mature Christians, but also remember that, in the end, we are accountable to God for our own choices.

Consider circumstances. With caution. Circumstances are useful guides that God can use to direct us in His will, but our desires mean we can over-emphasise their importance. Just because you can do something does not mean it is necessarily right for you to do it. That’s why they must be considered in the context of the Scriptures, the guiding of the Holy Spirit and counsel.

Remember, above all, we serve a God who loves us. He wants what is best for us and works our circumstances to that end as we love Him and yield to Him. Then we can confidently say, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). May we always be found in the place where God wants us to be.