“No one is good—except God alone,” Jesus says in Mark 10:18 (NIV). Yet, He also tells us there will be times when He appears anything but. That’s when trusting God gets tough.

Several weeks ago, a dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her daughter fought a similar battle a few years earlier at the ripe old age of twenty-seven. Talk about trusting God? This family follows Him like no other. My heart hurt.

I wanted to ask the whys—but I knew it was a waste of time and energy.

In his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest (7/16), Oswald Chambers says:

There are times, says Jesus when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but trust Him. God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural Father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not . . . Nothing happens in any particular unless God’s will is behind it, therefore you can rest in perfect confidence in Him.

What I needed was an intense focus on the One in control.

And He is in control.

That’s what makes this stuff so disturbing.

If He’s in control, He can fix it. If He’s in control, He could have prevented it.

And that’s true.

So, I wrestle with a holy, loving God who permits sickness, war, and a host of other terrible things. Why He allows these things is beyond me. Why He allows these things to those who love Him deeply and who follow Him faithfully is beyond me as well. Shouldn’t we be immune from such things simply because we’re His? Scripture answers with a resounding No.

The Bible is filled with those who followed hard after God along a rough and bumpy road.

Here’s God’s call to Jeremiah, “ ‘You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 1:7-8)

Rescue? Big red flag, Jerry.

Or Paul, “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man (Paul) is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’” (Acts 9:15-16)

Or Jesus. No one knew the Who behind the circumstances like Jesus. Scripture tells us He set His face like flint and headed for Jerusalem, the beatings, the scourging, and the cross.

When the road ahead looks a whole lot more like a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon than a stroll down Main Street at Disney World, we remember Who and that we walk in good company.

Hebrews 12:1-3 says this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,        scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Keep trusting God and intercede for someone today.

Questions:

Is there a circumstance that would break your faith?

Would you follow God through what looks to be a sorry situation—from our perspective?

If you’ve been through such a situation, what did you learn? (Please share.)

Tweetables:

“No one is good—except God alone,” Jesus says in Mark 10:18 (NIV). Click To Tweet
Jesus also tells us there will be times when God appears anything but good. Click To Tweet
I wanted to ask the whys. What I needed was to focus on the One in control. Click To Tweet
The Bible is filled with those who followed hard after God along a rough and bumpy road. Click To Tweet