If you have never looked at God and asked, “Why?!?” then this post is not for you. Especially if you have never asked, “Why, Lord, does everything work out for them but never for me? He has no regard for you. She never even considers you. Yet it all works out for them.” For the rest of us, here are a few thoughts…
I need to memorize Psalm 73:16-17 for those moments of questioning. Let me set the stage. Asaph is doing a bit of complaining. All around he sees the wicked flourishing while he suffers. The wicked taunt God. Meanwhile, Asaph realizes he could never speak that way about or to God without severe repercussions.
After all of this, however, we come to those two precious verses.
When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. Psalm 73:16-17
I love that! “I didn’t understand, until…”
Until I entered the presence of the Lord.
Until I focused on Him more than on myself or others.
Until I stopped thinking about the here and now and viewed all things in light of eternity.
Until I remembered God’s perfect wisdom.
It is not easy to redirect our thinking when we are feeling weighed down and mistreated. When life seems incredibly unfair, we cannot easily force ourselves to remember that this life is just a small sliver of the eternity we will spend in perfection.
That is why it is critical for us to enter into the presence of the Lord. Not just important…essential.
Our thoughts distract us. They sway us. They move us in directions we really do not need to go. Even worse, they can convince us that those wrong directions are right and represent the only option available!
But the presence of the Lord dispels all of that. We must enter the sanctuary as Asaph did. How can we accomplish that in our modern environment?
- Stay entrenched in the Word of God. Read it daily. Get to know it. And rely on it heavily.
Memorize the Word of God. There is a reason I need to memorize these verses. Just reading them overcomes my thoughts and sets me back on the right track. But, there is a lot in Scripture. No matter how familiar I am with God’s Word, I will not always remember just where to go to find just the reminder I need in that moment. But what I memorize will always be there. When the Holy Spirit brings it to mind, it will automatically overcome my treacherous thoughts.
- Spend time with God’s people. And not just on church days. Every day. And not just church attenders. People who are truly immersed in the Word of God. People who are not afraid to challenge us. People who obviously love the Lord.
Will you join me in the sanctuary today?
Not Quite Ordinary 