God Speaks Through Circumstances

Memory verse: Jesus gave them this answer: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does’ (John 5:19)

Jesus’ example is a positive way God speaks through circumstances. Sometimes circumstances appear to be negative. Maybe you have found yourself in the middle o f a difficult circumstance and you asked God, “Why is this happening to me?” You are not alone. Job had an experience like that. He did not know what was happening when everything he owned was destroyed, when his children were killed, and when he developed excruciating sores all over his body (see Job 1—2). Job wrestled with understanding his circumstances. They certainly appeared bad! He did not know what was happening from God’s perspective (see Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7). Neither did He know the last chapter of the story (see Job 42:12-17), in which God would restore his property, his family, and his health.

Job’s friends, thinking they had God’s perspective, told Job to confess his sin. Job could not find any unrighteousness in his life to confess. If you didn’t have that last chapter and didn’t know God’s perspective, whose side do you think you would be on—God’s or Job’s? You would probably be with Job, saying, “I want to ask God what’s going on. Why is He allowing this to happen?” You would think God was being cruel to Job.

To understand your painful or difficult circumstances, God’s perspective is vital. When you face hardships or confusing situations, they can overwhelm you. When you look at God from the middle of your circumstances, you will always have a distorted understanding of Him. For instance, you might say, “God doesn’t love me” or “God isn’t fair.” Both of those statements about God are completely false.

Perhaps you began to question God’s love or His wisdom. Maybe you were afraid to say He was wrong, but you said, “God, You misled me in letting me believe this was the right thing to do. Why didn’t You stop me? If I had known things were going to turn out like this...’’ You can get into spiritual difficulty if you look at God from the middle of circumstances.

What should you do? First, go to God and ask Him to show you His perspective on your circumstances. Look back at your circumstances from the heart of God. When you face confusing events, the Spirit of God will take the Word of God and help you understand your circumstances from God’s perspective. He will reveal to you the truth of your situation.

Final Thoughts: When Circumstances Are Confusing

  • Settle in your mind that God has forever demonstrated His unfailing love for you on the cross. That love will never change.

  • Do not try to understand what God is like from the middle of your circumstances.

  • Go to God and ask Him to help you see His perspective on your situation.

  • Wait on the Holy Spirit. He may take God’s Word and help you under­ stand your circumstances.

  • Adjust your life to God and to what you see Him doing in your circumstances.

  • Do all He tells you to do.

  • Experience God working in and through you to accomplish His purposes.