As with many highways across our nation, they are under construction. As I travel to and from work every day, I can't remember a time when the road hasn't been under construction. Day in and day out, we wait for the construction to be done so that we won't have to dodge cones and barriers, and enjoy a smooth ride.
For some reason, this became extremely evident to me this past week. The portable signs shared that we had a "New Travel Direction". Wow, I got excited. Here is what we have been waiting for. As the commuter traffic veered towards a new route, nothing much seemed to change. Yes, we veered to the right versus the left, but we were still two lanes, there were still cones to dodge. I kept trying to figure out what had been done - why are we going to the right, why are the cones still up, what are they trying to accomplish . . . . The questions seemed to continue to wander through my mind. I'm not kidding, it was about 10 minutes I kept thinking about this.
Then it hit me - Susan, there is nothing you can do to change this! You need to take this road to work and I'm sure that when all the work is done, there will be a better road. Why are you trying to understand every detail of this work? It is not something I am proficient at - civil engineering is not my forte. Yet, I was spending a great deal of time and energy on this.
Once I realized it was not mine to understand that morning, I said to myself, "God, you know better than me," and I let it go. What happened next in my mind was stronger than I have experienced in some time - how many times in my life have I tried to understand the situation versus trusting God? How many times have I forced an understanding , "This must be happening because of _____," or "This has to make sense - it must be _______." I will then put my belief and trust into my OWN understanding of the situation versus letting it go and trusting that GOD has the true understanding.
I realize I do that often. Rationalize, justify - whether it is a situation or a decision. Yet, what I can do better is to give the situation to God, and trust in Him and His will, which far surpasses any understanding I can have. In the "road construction" of life, God's understanding and guidance of a situation is far greater than mine. Yet, I will many times rely on my OWN understanding first - and many times - my OWN understanding can get me into trouble. I may understand incorrectly, leading to assumptions, judgements, and sin.
If I left situations up to God's understanding - realizing that I need not understand every situation and just pray for guidance, I would have God in my corner and not the devil. I would much rather have God with me any day!! I tried to do more of that during the week that followed ahead. In situations when I didn't understand what was going on and the WHY behind it- I gave it to God. I said to Him, "You know what I don't God. Please guide me to respond to YOUR will, not mine." This doesn't mean that I didn't have frustrations during my week, but I let go of them much quicker. I didn't hold on to them, and I had a more peaceful week.
Try it with me. When you are faced with a situation and NEED to have answers, NEED to have understanding - give it to God. Pray the following prayer, "I give this situation to you, God. I don't need to understand, I just need to respond in the way YOU want me to respond. Give me peace and the wisdom to do YOUR will." Let me know how it goes! It is hard not to always have a clear understanding. Yet, when we KNOW and have the SIMPLE FAITH that God DOES know, that He DOES understand, we can rest assured that the situation is in the best hands possible - God's hands.
"Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (NIV) Proverbs 3:5
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