Hi family and friends! First I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me for missions in the Philippines, whether financially or prayerful, they both mean the world to me. Unfortunately, due to everything going on, our mission trip has been cancelled. But the good news is, all money donated will go towards a mission trip for me next summer!
This season that we are all in was definitely unexpected for us. Everyone has had their different experiences throughout this whole confusing mess. If you are anything like me, you have doing a lot of binge watching, sprinkled with homework and naps. However, in situations we cannot control, it’s easy to feel small. In times like this I feel small. But I don’t feel helpless or hopeless. You see, I had my own plan, we all did. And when that all came to a halt, I had two choices: to ask God “why” or to ask God “what”.
I could ask God “Why is this happening?” “Why does it feel like my plans are being set aside?” “Why do things have to be different?” But what good does any of that do for me? If God were to answer my “why” question would I have felt any better?
There is a man named Job in the Bible who had everything he could ever want. The Bible says Job was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1 ESV). We would think because Job and God were so close that they had this level of understanding, If I never do anything wrong, nothing bad or unexpected could ever interrupt my life — I like to think I have this with God. In reality, no matter who you are, the Bible promises us that we will have trials and tribulations, no one is exempt, and that is what happened to Job. He had everything under the sun taken away from him: his livestock, his kids, his looks, and even his friends’ and his wife’s support. Job could have easily blamed God and asked “why”. But Job did not ask a “why” question. Instead, Job lived his life wondering what more could he do to get closer to God. Everything he has ever known was taken, and Job’s response was to draw near to the Father. If Job would have asked “why is this happening to me?” And, If God would have answered “because I love you.” “Because I trust in your faith in Me.” Or “because I know you would never curse me.” What good would that have done? Instead, God allowed Job to draw close to Him. He comforted Job in times of need and made room for Job to put Him first, so He can bless Job even more in the future. In the end, Job was blessed with twice as much as he had before. But there was no way Job would have known that would have been the outcome, He just had to trust in God.
In this place of confusion and uncertainty, we should not be asking God “why” we should be asking “what”. “What can I do to know you?” “What can I do to be closer to you?” “What can I do to show people who are?” None of this is going to be easy, and we are going to lose things we wanted in the process. But that does not mean it will not be good.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John? ?16:33? ?ESV??). You see, Job trusted in who the Lord was before he knew the ending of that verse. Job didn’t have a guide to this life like the one we do. Job was before Jesus walked this earth and overcame it. So we have all the more reason to lean into God, because we know the ending of our story.
The good news is, even though I will not be able to go on this mission trip, I can choose another one next summer. Maybe your answer is not as simple as mine. So I encourage you to lean into God, draw near to Him. Stop asking “why” and start asking “what’s next.”
This blog post is inspired by CityGate churches’ Pastor Eric Petree’s messages.
