Black, White, and Shades of Grey

I have to say one of the defining moments of reaching adulthood was realizing that things are often not black or white, but shades of grey. In terms of God, my childhood and teen years were filled with understanding God as predictable. Perhaps that's why I limited His power in my life to what could fit inside a shoebox. He had to fit boundaries that I had established in my mind with regards to how He should act in given situations and when He didn't, my faith crumbled. This misunderstanding of who God is has kept my faith in an immature state. When a baby fighting for its life succumbed to death. When missionaries are killed serving others. When a gunman killed 32 of my fellow classmates. Whenever these things happened, my faith hadn't quite prepared me with answers. A black and white God wouldn't let bad things happen to good people and wouldn't let evil prevail. This post isn't about "why do bad things happen to good people"; I hold steadfastly to Romans 8:28 with regards to this. This post is more of a diversion on how I've learned that you simply cannot predict God's actions.

@brittmerrick
Britt Merrick

God is faithful... Believe that. But He is not predictable... Know that.

Does that frighten you? Well, for a recovering control-freak like myself... yes! Have you ever noticed that predicting something and it occurring as you predicted doesn't really require faith? There is a level of certainty that it will occur. But when you can't predict events or how God intercedes in situations, you really must develop a deep trust in Him. You must know him. Predicting God limits how He can move in situations, in your eyes, and results in a paper-thin faith with no substance or weight. You restrict God to enacting His will in a situation to the boundaries that you define. And when God does not stay within those boundaries, you question if He is all-powerful or if your prayers are even heard. I can count multiple times where I have prayed intensely for God to resolve a situation and He didn't. Some of those situations, I've later seen His resolution and realized His will was better than mine. He knew best. Other times I've never seen a resolution and am still left with questions. God doesn't owe this to me. But what I've learned, in situations like these, is to draw near to God. Pray constantly and read the Word daily. God will reveal to you, in due time, a peace that comes knowing that no matter what the outcome, He is with you. You can't predict how God will move in situations, but you can have faith that He will keep you and strengthen you through it.

Reaching adulthood has forced me to either keep a paper-thin faith of who God is or give Him authority in my life as the author and finisher of my faith. I don't have the convenience anymore of accepting His invitation to salvation, but stripping Him of all His heavenly power and awe in my life. I don't have the answers. I can't predict God's will in each situation. But He is faithful and I know that I can trust Him to keep me to the end.

- Andrew

Comments

[Debi Livingston]

Awesome word Andy....very insightful.