Genesis 22:2 – Take your son, your only son — yes, Isaac, whom you love so much — and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you. (NLT)

Pete was obeying God, so why was his life falling apart?

The events unfolded slowly at first, then more rapidly. Pete had answered God's call to full-time ministry a number of years before. Now, events with enough explosive power to derail all that were taking place — circumstances that weren't his fault and were also beyond his control. Decisions had been made that would affect the rest of his life. He saw a resignation in his future. He saw other churches not wanting to call him as pastor. He didn't understand why God allowed this.

Depression stalked Pete for more than a year after the ground completely disappeared from beneath him. Not until he gave up his right to understand was he able finally to move forward into other areas that God opened for him.

Pete was forced to do what Abraham had to do. God had promised Abraham a son through whom millions of descendants would come. Now, God asked him to sacrifice that same son. How in the world would the descendants come if the son were dead? But he didn't question God.

Hebrews 11:19a – Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. (NLT)

God promises to love us unconditionally, to use us in His service, to gift us with talents and special abilities, and to work all things together for our good, but He never promises that we'll understand all the ways that He'll work to accomplish that. Pete didn't, Abraham didn't, I haven't, and millions of others haven't either.

A crucial element of following and serving God is giving up the right to understand His ways. By faith, we must believe that He works to form us more each day into His Son's image. By faith, we must trust that what comes out on the other side will be spiritually healthier than what's on this side. If we could always understand God, we'd be like God — but we're not.

Following God is a journey of faith that includes rarely understanding what He's doing or why. When we give up this right, it frees Him to do things in and through us that He would have to accomplish in other ways.

Let God be God in your life, whether you understand Him or not.

Prayer: Father, give us the faith to trust You, regardless of how things appear. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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