29
Nov '18
When God Says No
29
Nov '18
O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. (Isaiah 25:1)
When I was conscripted into the military at age eighteen, as all young Singaporean men are, I prayed desperately for an easy posting. A clerk or driver, perhaps. Not being particularly strong, I hoped to be spared the rigors of combat training. But one evening as I read my Bible, one verse leaped off the page: “My grace is sufficient for thee . . .” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
My heart dropped—but it shouldn’t have. God had answered my prayers. Even if I received a difficult assignment, He would provide for me.
So I ended up as an armored infantryman, doing things I didn’t always enjoy. Looking back now, I’m grateful God didn’t give me what I wanted. The training and experience toughened me physically and mentally and gave me confidence to enter adulthood.
In Isaiah 25:1–5, after prophesying Israel’s punishment and subsequent deliverance from her enemies, the prophet praises God for His plans. All these “wonderful things,” Isaiah notes, had been “planned long ago” (v. 1), yet they included some arduous times.
It can be hard to hear God saying no, and even harder to understand when we’re praying for something good—like someone’s deliverance from a crisis. That’s when we need to hold on to the truth of God’s good plans. We may not understand why, but we can keep trusting in His love, goodness, and faithfulness.
Lord, give me the faith to keep trusting You even when You say no. Amen.
This devotion blessed me because even in times when God says no and places you in situation that’s not so comfortable, He knows what’s best for you and I. Just as the man said in today’s devotion, he was grateful God didn’t give him what he wanted because the experience made him tougher, gave him confidence and prepared him for adulthood. Trust God even when he says no. He has a plan and a purpose for all things. It’s up to us to be obedient, walk in His ways and trust Him. I’m confident you will look back and go wow, I’m so grateful God said no. When God says no, He has a plan. Keep trusting Him!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Romans 10:10