Trusting God with The Mysteries of Life

“Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)

Do you trust God with the mysteries of life? The things you can’t possibly explain or understand. When life doesn’t make sense and everything you believed about God is challenged by your circumstances?  Even the great Apostle, Paul, who wrote over half of the New Testament, told the church he planted in Corinth, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)

That verse has helped me get back up when life knocked me down! It reminds me not to make assumptions about God in my life. You will never understand it all. With God nothing is impossible, but nothing is predictable either.  We can make our plans, but God determines our steps. So let God be God and trust Him in the mysteries of life.

We cannot possibly understand all there is to know about God or His ways. There is a Divine mystery to faith that remains unexplained and leaves us in wonder and awe. When Paul wrote this well-known chapter in First Corinthians 13 on the incomprehensible nature of God’s love, he admitted there was more to God’s love and nature than he could understand. We all have limited knowledge - no matter how intelligent we are. Paul said we see things imperfectly, as in a cloudy mirror. When writing to the Romans, he put it like this: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord?’" Romans 11:33-34 (NIV)

The mystery of faith is a good thing. If God could be fully understood, He would not be God. God is beyond us, yet He makes Himself available to us so that we may have a relationship with Him! That alone is beyond understanding. Though our vision is limited, God has made many things clear to us.  In Deuteronomy 29:29, the Bible tells us, “The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that He has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.”

When you find yourself struggling to understand God’s will, don’t worry about what you can’t comprehend. Focus on what He has clearly revealed in His Word and obey it. As you do, God will open greater understanding when you need it. God may speak to you in mysterious ways. You may wonder where He is leading you. Simply walk in the light you have, and His Spirit will continue to guide you. The adventure of faith is in following Him. One day, it will make sense. One day, we will see everything with perfect clarity. One day, we will know everything completely. Until then, embrace the mystery of God and rest in the confidence that He knows what He is doing!   

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Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.