First thing yesterday morning, I was overwhelmed by the headlines of the tsunami in Japan. I started crying over the destruction, the floods, and impending nuclear disaster. I thought about those on the West Coast and in Hawaii simply waiting to for the tsunami. Third world countries in Central America could be devastated and all they could do was wait and see.

This on top of the continuing conflicts in the Middle East made me wonder about the state of our world. I wondered if these were signs of the “end times”. If all this chaos meant Jesus was coming back at any minute. Needless to say, my mind was racing trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

Then God told me to stop. Stop thinking. Stop speculating. I was never going to understand it all. I will never be able to know why things like this happen. I will never be able to fully comprehend the meaning behind the end-times prophesy in scripture. My mind is too restricted compared to the infinite being of God.

I am always thinking. I am constantly trying to figure out not only the next step, but the 15 after that. However, most of the the things that keep me awake at night cannot be discerned by my finite pattern of thinking. I have to stop and trust in the fact that I know God is good and in control. Nothing I do is going to stop Him from achieving his purpose in my life, or anyone else’s.

So many times as Believers we become overwhelmed with trying to understand it all. Churches divide over the true meaning of two words in the Bible, or their presuppositions of who they think God is. However, at the end of the day we will never know the answer. We will never be able to fully grasp the meaning behind God’s words and actions. We are finite beings. We are creations of the Master Inventor. How many times did Jesus speak, only to look out to a crowd of people with open mouths and furrowed brows? Most of the people in scripture just didn’t get it, even the disciples.

What if all the time Christians spent arguing over theology, doctrine, and things humans will never fully understand was spent serving together? What if the church set aside petty differences and actually became The Body?  What if we saw Christian leaders actually work together to build this unity instead of separating themselves by doctrines such as predestination or what worship should look like?

What if all the time I spent thinking was actually spent trusting God’s goodness and sovereignty? What if after seeing the headlines of natural disaster and political strife, I spent time praying for comfort and peace instead of wondering what it all means?

God calls us to trust, not to understand. Christ calls us to work together for His purpose, not argue about theology.

1. followingthecall reblogged this from leizemarie and added:

   hear this afternoon.

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