One of the most common attacks on the character of God is the question of God's goodness. It was Satan's earliest approach (Gen 3:1-5) and continues to this day. It's even a problem for believers. We're all fine with God when He's doing what we want Him to do, but when He doesn't -- especially when really unpleasant things occur -- we're miffed. (How's that for an understatement?) Or when we pray, even making godly requests, and God doesn't answer the way we want, we're baffled (or, of course, worse). We want to know why God doesn't do what we want Him to do.
The problem is that this is the wrong question. And the source of this problem is the point of origin. Unconsciously we are beginning with "me." "I know what's best. I know what's right. So when God doesn't do what's best or what's right, there's a problem ... with God." If we started from God, it would be different. "I know God is good and wise. I know God is loving and sovereign. I know that He always does what is right and best. Therefore ..." You see, if we start from what we know about God, then our question changes. If God is good and wise and loving, the question becomes, "What good and wise and loving thing is God doing in this instance?" And it wouldn't be a demand; it would be a question. If we know the character of God, we ask from His perspective rather than ours, with God at the top rather than ourselves.
Of course, it is the nature of the human being to begin with "me." That's why what would seem to be obvious -- "'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares YHWH" (Isa 55:8) -- eludes us so frequently. Instead of asking, in essence, "Why doesn't God do what I want?", it would seem most reasonable that we would "Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near" (Isa 55:6) instead of requiring He bend to our "superior wisdom." Wouldn't it? A.W. Tozer wrote, "When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety." What about you?
2 comments:
It has become a formulaic term, but "in Jesus name" isn't supposed to be some sort of incantation to get what we what, but to remind us that we should be asking what Jesus would want to be done, not our will, but His.
When I ask the wrong question, i.e. from the wrong perspective, I am very often disappointed with the “answers” (or by the absence of them). I have learned to say “God saw fit; He has His reasons,” when something happens that confounds me; this helps me move my focus from my will to God’s purposes. This is not my natural inclination, as you point out, but I know in my heart that my interests and desires must be subjugated to God’s will if I am to have life abundantly. And since becoming “more Christlike” is my highest goal for myself--as it is the Lord’s for me--I can have assurance--even while awaiting “answers” (or in the absence of them)--that all that God sees fit to do in my life will be His best for me.
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