When I Don’t Understand

Years ago, in 2008, God put Gary and I on a very difficult life path.  I say that God put us on that path because Gary and I fully know and trust that God does direct our steps when we are living in obedience to Him.

The situation was very hard for us.  We were still in the phase of hurt and grief some weeks later when we went out of town for a few days.  There in our hotel room, as Gary was studying for his upcoming Sunday School class, I opened my Bible and found myself looking at Isaiah 40. 

I began reading.  Soon I was pulled into what Isaiah was sharing about almighty God, the God that I know and love.  I continued into chapter 41, feeling God’s Word wash over my wounded and tired heart. 

Did God give answers to our situation in these verses?

No.

But what God did do was to draw my eyes to Him…to Who He is…and off what was clamoring for my focus all around me.

It was very easy during those days…and still is, honestly…to look at the clutter of hurtful events and let that be where my eyes stayed. 

But Isaiah’s words pulled my eyes away from that clutter and shifted me instead to God Himself.

I am so burdened right now about the horrible things happening right now in Ukraine.  We all are. 

Why, God, are you allowing this to happen?

Where are You?!

I have been reading and pondering again through these Isaiah chapters.  I have no answers for the situation that God is somehow allowing in Ukraine. 

But I do know that God is the One Who measured out earth’s waters in the hollow of His hand.  He spread out and adjusted the heavens with His fingers, weighed out the mountains, sits above the circle of the earth, and sees earth’s inhabitants as grasshoppers. 

God created the stars, leads them forth by number, calls them all by name, and because of His might and power not one of them is missing.

“So why, Jacob,” God asks, “do you say your way is hidden from God and the justice you are due escapes My notice?”

This God of Jacob is our God today!  He is one and the same, never changing in His love for each of us.  

But I believe that many of us want to ask Him the same about Ukraine. 

God, do You care?  Is the horror in Ukraine hidden from You?  Where is the justice?

Alec Motyer says:  “…our inability to discern does not mean that no discernment is at work; our inability to see point or purpose does not mean there is no point or purpose.  The more we exalt the greatness of our God, the more we learn to appreciate our smallness, weakness, incapacity.  We need to learn not to fret and fume; we need to accept our limitations of knowledge, wisdom, and foresight.  Or, as Isaiah tells us, we need to practice waiting for the Lord.  Waiting is looking.”

And as we wait on the Lord…as we look to almighty God…we pray for all those who are suffering so much right now. 

            “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?

            The Lord is the everlasting God,

            The creator of the ends of the earth.

            He does not faint or grow weary;

            His understanding is unsearchable.

            He gives power to the faint,

            And to him who has no might he increases strength.

            Even youths shall faint and be weary,

            And young men shall fall exhausted;

            But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

            They shall mount up with wings like eagles;

            They shall run and not be weary;

            They shall walk and not faint.”   (Isaiah 40:28-31)

All I know to do is to push away the clutter of my own thoughts…keep my eyes focused on almighty God…and pray for the precious people of Ukraine to be able to do the same.

Author: Patty hesaidwhatks

I'm Patty and I write about our adult son who has Epilepsy and Autism, who still lives with my husband and me, and who is a package full of many surprises and joys and challenges and TALK! Lots of talking, which creates laughter and some other reactions as well. I also write about how God shows Himself to me in everyday life.

22 thoughts on “When I Don’t Understand”

  2. Such wisdom in that Alec Motyer quote; thank you for sharing it, Patty. With you I pray God’s perfect will unfold in Ukraine. He has intervened in battles before, he can certainly do it again. May the angels of heaven fight on the side of right!

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  3. Thank you Patty for sharing with us these words, the scripture, and quote! It’s so easy to look at the news and allow a sense of despair fall over me for the people of Ukraine. Your words “But what God did do was to draw my eyes to Him…to Who He is…and off what was clamoring for my focus all around me” are perfect for this moment. Only in focusing upward on God can I really pray in a way that will help our brothers and sister in the Ukraine and in Russia.

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    1. Yes, Beth. I find myself wanting to understand God’s reasons and to make the tragedy stop, neither of which I can do. But aren’t we blessed that we can pray? And prayer is another way to stay focused on God. Thanks for your good input, Beth.

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  6. Patty this spoke to me on many levels as my sweet Steve is dealing with some serious medical problems. I trustingly pray a lot but also do find my mind ruminating on “why why why God could you let this good man suffer”. Your blog has helped me redirect my thoughts to some extent during this trying time.

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    1. Oh Barbara, I’m sorry to hear about Steve. Please know that we love you guys and we’ll be praying. Keeping our focus during such stress can take effort but it sure is worth it to experience God’s sweet peace. ♥️♥️

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  7. Joining you in prayer and concern, and maybe that’s just what God wants to see from we who call ourselves Christians.

    May we never be too busy to cry out to God for those suffering. He is perfectly in control and holds understanding in all of His ways.

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  10. I believe that God is answering prayers concerning Ukraine. We may not always hear about what He is doing in answer to prayers, but God is working nonetheless. I recently found out that an orphanage has found a way out of Ukraine for the children. It is an answer to prayer! How many other wonderful things has God done that will never be on the news? A miracle for one here and a miracle for one there. That’s what I believe. So we must keep praying! God is faithful. Blessings, Patty!

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