Faith and the Complex Ways of God
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. — Isaiah 55:8
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. — Hebrews 12:11
Author
Dr. Roberto Miranda
Summary: God’s work in our lives can be subtle, prolonged, and difficult to discern. Sometimes it seems that our prayers go unheard; at other times we receive an unexpected answer or must wait a long time. We may also endure pain and suffering that seem to contradict his faithfulness. In these circumstances, faith calls us to trust that God is sovereign and loves us, and to persevere in prayer. Simplistic views of faith can confuse us during times of trial. Therefore, even when we do not immediately understand what is happening, we must be guided by the principles of the Word and stand firm in them.
Many times, God’s work in our lives unfolds in very subtle ways and over the long term, making it harder to discern and discover how God is working amid these complex dimensions of faith. At times, it will be difficult to discern whether it is God, Satan, or mere coincidence at work in our circumstances.
At other times, the dynamics of faith will unfold in ways we do not normally associate with the simple, clear patterns Scripture shows us.
- At times, for example, it will seem that God has not heard our prayers or that he has remained indifferent to our need. Despite this, we will have to exercise faith, believing that God is sovereign and loves us, and that he always knows what he is doing.
- Sometimes we will pray for something and receive an answer different from what we expected. Even so, this will require an act of faith on our part, as we must believe that God is nevertheless the one at work in that unexpected outcome.
- At other times, we will have to wait a long time before seeing the answer to our prayers. In that case, faith will show itself through our patience and perseverance in prayer.
- At times, God will put us through the crucible of pain and suffering, and we will go through circumstances that seem to contradict his faithfulness and power. But this, too, will be part of the dynamics of faith: God working in us and shaping us, just not in the easy and obvious way we are accustomed to seeing God work in our lives.
The mistaken and simplistic frameworks and models of faith we sometimes hold in our minds leave us confused when we are going through times of trial. As a result, we sometimes fail to understand God’s complex, nuanced movements in our lives.
God moves in diverse and subtle ways in the human realm. God’s involvement or divine purpose is not always clear in the situations we experience each day. The promises of the Word do not always manifest themselves in our favor as soon as a problem or need arises. Many times, between the believer’s cry and God’s answer, other factors arise that complicate—and even seem to contradict—the principles and promises of the Word.
Nevertheless, whether in straightforward ways or with a greater degree of complexity and subtlety, it is always the principles declared by the Word that must determine how we navigate any difficult situation in our lives.
Once we have understood these principles of Scripture, no matter how complex or contradictory what we are experiencing may seem, we must remain firmly bound to what we have learned from studying the Word. That steadfast adherence to what the Word of God declares will enable us to come through any situation we may face successfully.