"Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" 1 Corinthians 2:16

“I don’t understand God,” he said.

“I know my sin.”

“God has made it clear to me.  He’s led me away from practicing it.”

“But my mind keeps turning back to it.”

Why won’t God take away my desire for the sin, too?”

“I’m tired of struggling against the desire…”

“It just doesn’t make sense.  I don’t understand God.”

Paul faced the same problem…

I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 2 Corinthians 12:7

Paul asked God to remove it…

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 2 Corinthians 12:8

Why wouldn’t God relieve Paul of his suffering?

How do we understand God…a loving God…who allows us to suffer?

Does suffering bring us closer to God?

“Does soul require suffering to make itself known?”

Ortberg, Soul Keeping Page 31

Does suffering grow our faith, so that we can accept God’s gift of grace?

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Does suffering remind us that all real power is God’s and God’s alone, and that all we have is weakness?

…for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

When we accept our weakness and put our faith in God’s strength, we take a giant step toward a life with real meaning…

There’s something more important than the happy life…the meaningful life.  The happy life is rooted in where you are physically, vocationally, or financially. The meaningful life is rooted in where you are spiritually.  John Ortberg

We will never understand God…

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

But if we put our trust in what he has promised…

‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you   Hebrews 13:5

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Then we will have the faith to say with Paul…

…I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Note: Thoughts for this post were influenced by an article by
Chuck Swindoll. You can read it here.