In the recently popular book, “The Shack,” the author has the character portraying God (referred to as Papa) say, “You can have understanding or you can have God, but you can’t have both.” There is a certain element of truth to what the author is saying. We won’t always understand God and His ways. This can sometimes lead to frustration or even anger towards God. However, there are two reassuring things that we can know about God. David wrote in Psalm 62:11-12, “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.”
Several times this week, I spoke with individuals who wondered why God would allow certain events to happen in their lives, knowing that the consequences would be difficult for them. It wasn’t that they denied doing something that perhaps deserved the consequences, because they knew they had done something wrong. But, all of us have seen situations where others deserved consequences, when they weren’t forthcoming (e.g., the guy who passes you doing 85 mph on the highway and doesn’t get a ticket).
God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. We will not always understand why God does or doesn’t act in the way that we think He should. God could…but He doesn’t always choose to do things the way that we would prescribe. For us to challenge or question the ways of God is to judge God, to find fault in Him. In the story, Papa tells the father to give up being God’s judge and know God for who He is…”embrace His love (even) in your pain, instead of pushing Him away with your self-centered perception of how you think the universe should be.”
Zorn notes in his commentary on this passage, “The power of God makes certain that the outcome of events will be according to His will; the love of God assures that His will is righteous and just and compassionate.” We wouldn’t want it any other way.
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