S56P9 – Ecclesiastical truths: accepting all of God’s days
Ecc. 7:13-14
Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
The thought has crossed my mind many times. It is interesting that this is not something we can simply attribute to spiritual immaturity. Years after being saved, I still wrestled with God on the issue. When life was peachy, and prayers were being answered, my attitude toward the Father was exceptional. My faith seemed real, and I was encouraged to continue. Unfortunately, it was a different story when life was not so pleasant. During times when I felt like God had no desire to answer my prayers or bring me any blessings, I began to question him. My circumstances certainly changed my attitude toward God, and I saw him as the source of my misery because He would not step in and change things. I was beginning to love him only when life was good.
There is a fine line between trying to understand God more fully and judging what He does. It is one thing to ask for revelation about the circumstances in our lives. We may expect a certain result based on scriptural teaching, and it is just fine for us to ask God how we can reconcile that teaching with our experience when that experience seems different. It is quite another thing to take the position that God is acting in a certain way that goes against his character or what He has told us He is. Job’s experience is the classic example. God allowed the devil to bring Job much misfortune and heartache, but that does not mean that God is any less loving or merciful than He is. The way we feel about God cannot be governed by our circumstances. When that happens, we place God under judgment for what He does and question who He is
If we say that we love God, that means we love all of him and accept how He works in our lives. We accept not only what brings us joy and pleasure, but we also accept the trials that He allows. The fact that life is imperfect and difficult does not mean that God is any less than He is. When we move beyond a desire for understanding and begin to decide how God should be responding in our lives, then we judge him. That is not something we have the right to do. Instead, let us seek him not only for understanding but also for hearts that unconditionally love him no matter what He brings our way. Father, remind us that You are holy and just in everything You do, and help us to accept gladly each and every day You bring us.