PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• This morning, I read an article that just broke my heart. A well-known Christian songwriter has renounced his faith in God. He is quoted in the article as saying, “I’m genuinely losing my faith… and it doesn’t bother me.”
The article continued to say that this man is wrestling with questions that he doesn’t feel like anyone is talking about. I agree with the author of an article in ChristianPost.com who asked the rhetorical question, “What Christian world have you been living in?” (It’s not a sarcastic question—the writer speaks with great compassion for this man.) Because the songwriter’s questions are ones that MANY are talking about.
It’s disheartening and sad. I understand questioning why God allows things to happen. I even understand drifting away from the faith because I’ve been there, done that. But I don’t understand renouncing it all together. It just makes me so sad and I’m praying this man can rediscover the awe and splendor of our Savior who has loved us with an immeasurable love that carried Him to the cross and then, conquered the finality of the grave. I pray that he can experience the overwhelming grace of a loving and forgiving God whose ways are not like ours.
As I said, I understand this man’s questions. We all wrestle with the whys of God’s ways. Yet, we have to believe in the answer God gives us in Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV, which says, “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.”
It’s like a parent and child relationship. Our children may question why we do things or set certain rules, but we have a different way of thinking. We apply experience and greater understanding to our reasons and whys.
With that in mind, our Heavenly Father sees a far bigger picture than we do. He’s okay with us not fully understanding, but just as we expect our children to acknowledge our authority—so does our God expect us to acknowledge His.
Faith is about accepting His Word, even when we don’t have all the answers. He does so it’s okay that we don’t.
Today, as you pray, please join me in praying for this man. He has been placed in a position of influence and we need people to influence others towards God, not away from Him. Thank God that His ways are higher than ours. Thank Him that even when we don’t understand, we can look to Him trusting that He has it all figured out. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you when you wrestle with the whys. Ask Him to help you lean not on your own understanding, but acknowledge Him so He can guide your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6, slightly paraphrased).