When times are difficult, I find myself asking this very question. With a global crisis like\u00a0the one we are seeing brought on by\u00a0COVID-19, I would venture to guess that I am not the only one asking this question. In fact, it\u00a0would seem this\u00a0is the question everyone\u00a0is seeking to answer nowadays: news anchors, medical professionals,\u00a0political figures, employers,\u00a0parents \u2013 you name it.\u00a0Almost all see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the\u00a0projected distance\u00a0between where we are and that light\u00a0varies\u00a0greatly.\u00a0Some of these projections are\u00a0even based out of a great deal of time, work, and resources; and for what purpose?<\/p>\n
There are many reasons why\u00a0this question is being asked and so much energy is going towards the answer. Some of these reasons are good, like:\u00a0What is the best plan of action to eliminate this virus?\u00a0Can we hold our event in June?, or\u00a0When can I plan on reopening my business?\u00a0Others\u00a0are not as good, like:\u00a0How long do I need to put up with my children who should be in\u00a0school?,\u00a0When is my\u00a0government going to stop controlling me?, or\u00a0When\u00a0will the fear\/anxiety end?<\/p>\n
The reason\u00a0(driving the question)\u00a0matters greatly. A question like, \u201cCan we hold our event in\u00a0June?,\u201d may be\u00a0an outflow of a desire to serve others by planning well. A question like, \u201cHow long\u00a0do I need to put up with my children who should be in\u00a0school?,\u201d\u00a0will likely come from an ungrateful heart. Both questions are asking when\u00a0this\u00a0will\u00a0end. Both had very different starting points. As you are asking this question, what is your starting point? Are you seeking to plan\u00a0well for the service of others, or are you frustrated and fearful?<\/p>\n
Perhaps you are seeking\u00a0the\u00a0security that\u00a0often accompanies knowledge.\u00a0Even if it\u2019s bad news,\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0clamor after\u00a0comfort in knowing what\u2019s coming.\u00a0In all honesty, that has been\u00a0a\u00a0dominant\u00a0driving factor\u00a0as I have caught myself asking\u00a0when this will all end.\u00a0When I am feeling the insecurity brought on by the times,\u00a0I think, \u201cIf I only\u00a0knew, things\u00a0would be so much better!\u201d<\/p>\n
But is security found in knowledge? Is comfort hidden in the secret things\u00a0that have not been revealed?<\/p>\n
A short passage in the Book of\u00a0Deuteronomy answers the questions\u00a0above quite bluntly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Deuteronomy 29:29<\/p>\n He has told us everything we need to know.\u00a0When you hold\u00a0a copy of\u00a0the Word of God, you are holding\u00a0that which gives access to\u00a0everything you need\u00a0to obey Him.\u00a0When He\u00a0commands, \u201cGive thanks in everything\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:18), that book\u00a0reveals the beautiful Gospel that enables us to do so.\u00a0When He commands,\u00a0\u201cDo not worry\u201d (Matthew 6:25, 34), you\u00a0are told\u00a0everything you need in that book to\u00a0ward off worry,\u00a0because that book tells of the One in total control.<\/p>\n Is it wrong to ask when this will end? Absolutely not! So\u00a0long as\u00a0you are not asking\u00a0from a heart that is convinced it cannot obey Christ without the answer.\u00a0Not only has He given us everything we need to follow Him well, but He has intentionally\u00a0made us finite beings. Think about that for a second. The Lord carefully created us with specific limitations and parameters\u00a0in all material and immaterial facets of our being.\u00a0He could have given us more or less capacity, but He\u00a0formed\u00a0us\u00a0precisely\u00a0as\u00a0He intended to\u00a0form\u00a0us, and then gave us everything we needed to follow Him.<\/p>\n A proper understanding of\u00a0God\u2019s sovereignty and our\u00a0limitations\u00a0will actually enable us to ask\u00a0our question in a more productive manner.\u00a0We are\u00a0called\u00a0to plan,\u00a0yet all within the context of God\u2019s sovereignty (Proverbs\u00a021:5, 16:9; James\u00a04:13-15).\u00a0We are even\u00a0called\u00a0to seasons of suffering \u2013 this too is from the Lord (Isaiah\u00a028:23-29; Philippians\u00a01:29).<\/p>\n A beautiful facet of the sovereignty of God in difficult times is that He is doing\u00a0incredible things \u2013 many of which we cannot perceive.<\/p>\n Since September of 2014, my wife\u2019s mother\u00a0has been in the presence of Jesus.\u00a0When she was\u00a0initially\u00a0diagnosed as being in stage 4 of a\u00a0rare,\u00a0highly aggressive cancer in\u00a0June of\u00a02012, we were certain\u00a0that\u00a0day was coming (especially with an initial prognosis of\u00a0about two\u00a0months).\u00a0My mother-in-law experienced over\u00a0two\u00a0years\u00a0of intense suffering\u00a0before\u00a0she left this earth, and they\u00a0were some of the hardest\u00a0years\u00a0for a lot of people.<\/p>\n But that season, as horrific as it was,\u00a0produced some\u00a0beautiful results.\u00a0For instance, there were people\u00a0who\u00a0gave themselves to Jesus as a result\u00a0of my mother-in-law\u2019s\u00a0testimony and\u00a0her\u00a0proclamation of the Gospel.<\/p>\n One result that was not anticipated was\u00a0the intensified worship of Christ that my wife experiences today.\u00a0On Sunday mornings, when we are singing with the body of Christ, my wife worships\u00a0with an intensity that I (frankly) don\u2019t have access to.\u00a0Through her own suffering in that time,\u00a0the Lord awakened a\u00a0deeper understanding\u00a0of the intense reality of\u00a0heaven as she recognizes that\u00a0her mom\u00a0Twila is worshipping Jesus\u00a0to His face, and it keeps Heaven constantly on my wife\u2019s mind. It\u2019s real.\u00a0He really is worthy of worship and He truly receives our praise.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss\u00a0out on\u00a0this season.\u00a0Don\u2019t get so focused on the end that you\u00a0miss what the Lord is doing now. Take time to grow in your relationship with Him (or\u00a0begin\u00a0one, if\u00a0you have not yet received the Gospel).\u00a0It\u2019s fine to consider when we will be out of this\u00a0difficult time, but trust that the Lord is sovereign over it\u00a0and working through it.<\/p>\n This season will be over at the very moment He has determined\u00a0\u2013 this is the short answer to our burning question, and the one that should give us the greatest comfort.<\/p>\n Photo by\u00a0Aaron Burden<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/small><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"God Is Sovereign, We Are\u00a0Not<\/h2>\n
Unique Season<\/h2>\n
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