When We Don’t Understand God’s Ways

By Melissa Sharp

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:9 

“I just don’t understand it,” my dear husband Larry said to me as he laid in a hospital bed in the Miami County Medical Center in Olathe, Kansas Saturday afternoon after having collapsed at mile 25.5 during an ultra marathon. He had been transported by ambulance to the closest hospital and treated for severe dehydration. Needless to say, this was not the way either one of us believed the day would end. “I really thought the Lord was going to allow me to finish this race,” he continued. “I did too honey – I really did,” came my reply. “But it’s not for us to try and understand ‘why’ it happened. Perhaps it happened to meet someone on the trail or here, or maybe even to share Christ with someone we will meet in the parking lot later? Maybe it’s to give God the glory when you walk out of here later because of all the people praying for you right now? Or maybe there’s a lesson in all this that’s just meant for us? We may never know—but we do know that God’s ways are not our ways and that His plans are always better than our plans.” This encouragement made my sweet husband smile and said, “You’re right, honey.” 

Later that day, after having spent hours getting fluid IV’s and multiple lab work to test his kidney function which was greatly compromised due to the dehydration, the paramedics that had attended to him on the racecourse came back to check on him. And what a great chat we had with them! Prior to that, one of our closest friends (who had finished her race at the same ultra we were at) brought me some much needed coffee and food and stayed for a while to encourage us. With everything that had happened, I hadn’t had a chance to eat after completing 40 miles and then jumping in the car to meet Larry at the hospital. As you could imagine, I was hungry! At every turn, it seemed the Lord was placing people in our path to talk with us. And, of course, you know we got to talk about Jesus! My husband even managed to enthusiastically share the story of the day God arranged our meeting and our subsequent marriage with the nurse who attended to him (something he does every chance he gets, hence one reason I love him so much). 

By the time we left the hospital, we were on hugging terms with the nurse and considered the doctor a friend for life. Is God good or what? 

And as if that weren’t enough to show us that God was “working” in this situation, we had countless people reach out to us via social media, text, and by phone to tell us that they were praying for my sweet Larry. Which helped us to understand more of the “why” God allowed this particular thing to happen. We recognized that we were able to share our faith with people we would never have crossed paths with had it not been for the “change in plans.”  

Through this change of plans we were able to experience the miracle of trusting God which gave us opportunities for sharing the Gospel both in person and on our Facebook page. After detailing the day’s events giving glory to God, I ended the post with: 

“This day could have ended so differently. But either way, my Sweet Larry was good because he made the choice many years ago to accept Jesus as his Savior. Do you have that same assurance? No one knows when they will take their last breath. So don’t put the decision off. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart… accept Jesus as your Savior and be guaranteed that you will spend eternity with Him.”

When it comes to trying to understand the “why’s” of life, God is faithful to remind us in Isaiah 55:9 that “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” This reminds us that, for reasons we aren’t privy to, there are just some things that we will never understand, or at least fully understand, this side of Heaven, they’re just too lofty. But one thing we can always take heart in remembering is this…God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. And you can be sure that “everything” includes the good and the bad things, along with the things we understand and the things that we don’t understand. 

And one more thing we would do well to remember is this… the enemy will always come at us full force when the Lord gives us a platform to share the Gospel. Just that morning, I had the blessing of praying over the runners at the start line. The next morning, Larry and I were scheduled to be onsite to organize the events of the first annual praise and worship city-wide outdoor church service in Missouri (4 hours away from the race). This service was to include five personal testimonials of faith based addiction recovery and brought together believers of many different churches. 

So Larry and I just had to be there, and by God’s grace we made it! 

We were tired from the previous day, the long drive, and the lack of sleep, but we were there and got to be a part of something big! I’m telling you, there were seeds planted that Sunday morning. Close to 200 people showed up!

So, if you’re going through a time of trial or trouble today that has you saying, “I just don’t understand this Lord,” acknowledge you weren’t meant to understand it, my friend. And then trust that our faithful God will fulfill the promise to work your situation for good, and press on with all your might to accomplish the task He has given you while you wait, knowing that God is working in the waiting. That’s what He does!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that everything You plan and purpose is for the good of those You love. When we don’t understand the “why’s” of life, Lord, help us to have the faith to smile and say, “I don’t understand this Lord, but I will trust You. And I will not only trust You, I will work while I’m waiting knowing that anywhere You place me is a mission field.” It’s in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.