STXWM Blog

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways higher than my ways,” declares the Lord.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts that your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

“God, I do not understand what You’re doing here.”

We have all said those words before.  Whether we have actually uttered them allowed or just thought them; either way, we have all been in a place where the circumstances around us did not seem like God would have chosen it for a child that He loves.

Maybe you have continued with a sentiment such as, “Did I do something wrong?” or “I didn’t do anything wrong.”  There are certainly times when our circumstances are the direct result of our own decisions but other times it really does feel like no matter how we try to effect it to the contrary, our world just seems to be spiraling out of control.

It is tempting in these times to wonder if God is actually in control.  It’s tempting to ask Him if He’s watching events unfold-to wonder if we’ve been forgotten.  As mature Christians, we know better but the enemy still likes to taunt us with the thought.  For just a moment, or maybe longer, we feel unimportant and unseen by God.

There is a song by the Collinsworth Family called Your Ways Are Higher Than Mine.  I will link it below.  In the chorus one line says “I want mountains to move but You want me to climb.”  When I am focusing on my circumstances I often think that this cannot be what God wants for my life but then I read this verse and I remember that He is not only walking beside me but He is also looking down from above.  Allow me to explain.  

My perspective is on eye level with the difficulty so for me, it’s hard to see much else.  God can see so much more than I can.  He can see how what I am walking through is affecting those around me as well as the effect it will have on my own life over time.  He sees the growth and the faith that this time is building in me.  Even as I write that, it’s really not very comforting for what I’m dealing with right now but it’s true nonetheless.

Another thing that God showed me about this time came from a nature documentary.  LOL He can use anything, I guess.  I’ve been teaching my students about the life cycle recently so I decided to do some further research to prepare myself for the inevitable deeper questions that I always get from my 4th graders.  The documentary pointed out that all of life on earth is in a constant life cycle.  The sunflower in my students’ notes starts as a seed that must die and break down in order to germinate which then grows into a plant that must eventually die in order to give seeds back to the ground and fertilize the soil so it can start all over again.  The seasons are a cycle of death leading back to life.

Our lives follow this same divine pattern that God gave the flowers and the seasons.  Seasons in our lives must end in order for us to grow.  We have to lose things sometimes in order to make room for more and new blessings.  This time, that hurts so much right now, is the fertilizer that will nourish next year’s blessings.

Could God have chosen to do things differently?  I don’t know.  Maybe He could.  Maybe this was the only way it would work.  What really matters is that we know that He is not only in control and attentive to us, but He is also capable and trustworthy.  He sees us.  He loves us and we can trust Him to do what is best for us.

The climb over your mountain is difficult and often heartbreaking but God knows what He’s doing and He is climbing right by your side.  Don’t stop, my friend, and I won’t either.  See you at the top, girl.

Father, I will not stop. I will keep climbing knowing that You are with me but help me when I want to. When the difficulty and hurt in this season threaten to be heavier than I can carry. Help me to take one more step each time for You are faithful and You see me.