“The best laid plans often go down the tubes.” That’s the “Bill version.” The real version by Robert Burns is “The best laid of mice and men often go awry.” Either one works. 🙂
My plan for today was to share some news with you that will change my world in the future but I have been asked not to do so at this point in time, so I will honor that. Maybe down the road a bit I will be able to do so.
Meanwhile, Psalm 102:1-2 “spoke” to my heart this morning:
Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you. (NLT)
I had a texting session just before bedtime with one of the people from OVCF, a lady who went through a devastating experience a little over a year ago and is still struggling to make sense of it all. I would say these verses describe exactly where she is. I can’t and won’t say I know exactly how she feels because I don’t, but I can say there have been times I have been where she is now. Questioning God’s goodness and wisdom. A cry for help. Silence. Answers needed/wanted. Silence. But in spite of it all, I want to be able to echo the psalmist’s words in verse 12: “But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation.”
As I told the lady last night, it is human nature to want answers. But God is not obligated to give them. As a parent I believed I knew what was best for my girls, and I didn’t owe them an explanation (at least at that moment), for my decision. God is under no obligation to tell me the “why’s” and “wherefore’s” of what He is doing. I have to trust His goodness and His love for me, just as I wanted my girls to trust me and my love for them. I wasn’t being cruel, even though in their eyes, I was.
“So Lord, to borrow lyrics from the song in yesterday’s post: ‘Even in the storm, I will praise You. Even in the storm I will trust You.’ I don’t know all, if any answers, but still I will trust You, my Savior, my King.”
We can never know the whys, but have to trust that God holds all the answers when we go through the storms of life. The song you shared in yesterday’s post reminded me of one by Casting Crowns – “I Will Praise You in This Storm.” Have you heard it?
Blessings, Bill!
Totally agree on the whys and wherefores. I have heard it but in a different version by FaithTech Worship. it is a metal ballad version. Slightly different but still powerful lyrics.
Bill I am surprised that you listen to metal music! Haahaha!!!
You shouldn’t be but now you know something else about me. 🙂 This new stuff is for the birds. I also don’t care for screamo though. No country. No rap. No hip hop. No opera.
I knew you liked rock and roll the 60s-70s.
I saw a new video and I really liked the song. When I went to look for the singer it turns out he doesn’t exist. This AI is really cool, but hard to keep up with.
I do like that era. I also like the hair band era- Stryper, etc. I listen to one AI generated called “Hair Metal Worship.” 🙂
It is so hard to be in a spot where you want a definitive answer and it is not happening. People often have good intentions but say all the wrong things and it just deepens the anxiety. The only thing to do is to recite to yourself the promises of God, and read His word. As you say Bill, trust God’s goodness and love, and praise God. I feel like each person needs their own set of scriptures that they go to when everything seems impossible, which scriptures remind you of who God is and strengthens your love for God.
Therein is the rub Gail. People have good intentions but say all the wrong things. I stand by God’s goodness and love.
God knows the plans He has for us! Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite verse. These days when the future is so uncertain, both in my own life and the lives of others.. I don’t know what God is up to with this heat, drought, etc. I mean it’s like SOMETHING good has to happen, and is going to.
I find myself not as concerned about those things as I am with my response to people’s concerns. I want to show them Jesus takes away the fear and anxiety.
Amen!