Drinking Confusion - Martin Wiles

You have been very hard on us, making us drink wine that sent us reeling. Psalm 60:3 NLT

Life is filled with periods of confusion.

Lonnie had listened to church folks tell him how much God loved him. One day he acknowledged his sin, repented, and accepted Jesus as his Savior. But he was confused shortly thereafter when at a church business meeting, the church voted to excuse themselves from a local men’s fellowship because African American churches were going to join. Didn’t God love all people?

Garrett was confused too. He had accepted Christ when he was younger but had grown further away from Him. He and his wife rarely attended church. His first marriage had ended in divorce, and the present one was in trouble. Then his wife’s drinking problem led to a wreck that killed their youngest child. Couldn’t God have prevented this?

Carine had a heart for children’s ministry. When a new Vacation Bible School director brought in numerous children from the community, her heart was touched. She decided to begin a van ministry. Every Sunday, she picked up children and brought them to church. When teachers threatened to give up their classes, when no one would sit with the children, and when no one made any attempt to speak to them, Carine was confused. Didn’t Jesus tell the little children to come to Him?

David was also periodically confused. If God favored Israel, why did He occasionally let their enemies defeat them?

I, too, can throw my hat into the ring of confusion. God, if You love me, why the divorce, why the financial struggles, why the rebellious children, why the unemployment, why the layoff, why the betrayal, why the death, why the sickness, why the…

David discovered confidence in the midst of his confusion. But you have raised a banner for those who fear you—a rallying point in the face of attack (Psalm 60:4). Whether it looked so or not, God was in charge and in control. What appeared as a mess to David wasn’t to God. What appeared to be unconcern wasn’t that at all.

The only way I can walk through periods of confusion with my faith intact and my eyes looking upward and forward is to believe the same. God loves me and is ordering the steps of my life—even when the evidence seems to point to the contrary.

Don’t let life’s periods of confusion dampen your faith in a loving God.

Prayer: Father, when life gets confusing, strengthen our faith that You are controlling the details and will orchestrate good from the bad. 

Tweet: Are you ever confused by God's actions?

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Don’t Know; Don’t Understand - Martin Wiles

I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. Job 23:9 NLT

Some things simply cannot be explained because information is missing.

Complex sentences are composed of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Like me being dependent on my parents until I reached legal status, the dependent clause is dependent on the independent clause. An independent clause has all the elements that allow it to stand alone: subject, verb, and complete thought. Dependent clauses are missing one or more of the necessary elements.

“When I was a young child” is an example of a dependent clause. The subject and verb are present, but important information is missing. If someone made that statement to me, I would expect more information. What happened when you were a young child? Since I don’t know what happened, the clause is senseless and fails to communicate.

Job was lacking information as well. He had faithfully served God but now experienced the loss of practically everything he had—and with no explanation. God seemed far away. Job’s questions received no answers. God had given him a dependent clause only but had not finished the statement.

Many things in life don’t make sense. A child killed in an accident because a parent was driving drunk. Natural disasters that steal the lives and property of innocent people. People living homeless because no one will offer them a job. Cancer. Other incurable diseases. Family members not caring for their elderly loved ones. Terrorist activity. A spouse lost to depression or Alzheimer’s.

Sin is the simple answer, but it doesn’t always provide comfort. Knowing sin is behind the cancer that killed their small child doesn’t take away the grief the parents face. Believing God is love and is sovereign is a better path to follow.

Many things in life are unexplainable. Some take comfort in thinking God will answer all our questions when we get to heaven—but He may not. Peace and abundant living comes from accepting that God is in control and knows what He’s doing, that He acts consistently out of love, and that His plan is always best.

Don’t let the unexplainable things of life throw you for a loop. God has them under His control. He will give you the strength to endure and overcome, even when you don’t understand.

Prayer: Father, when life happens in ways we can’t explain or understand, help us believe that You are in control and that Your plan is best. 

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