How can we trust God's plan when we don't fully understand it? A Peek at the Passage Luke 2:50 records, “But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.” Joseph and Mary had just heard twelve-year-old Jesus speak of His Father’s house, yet they could not grasp His meaning. The moment drips with mystery: godly parents, an obedient Son, and still confusion. Their experience mirrors ours when God’s plan feels puzzling. What Mary’s Confusion Teaches Us • Being faithful does not guarantee instant clarity. • Lack of understanding is not the same as lack of obedience; Mary still “treasured up all these things in her heart.” • God’s plan can be fully good even while partially concealed. Why God Allows Gaps in Our Understanding • To deepen dependence – Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding…” • To highlight His higher wisdom – Isaiah 55:8-9: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.” • To showcase His timing – John 13:7: “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Foundations for Trusting God’s Plan 1. His Character – Faithful: Lamentations 3:22-23 affirms new mercies every morning. – Loving: Romans 8:32 reminds us He “did not spare His own Son.” 2. His Promises – Romans 8:28: “God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.” – Jeremiah 29:11: “Plans to prosper you… to give you a future and a hope.” 3. His Track Record – From creation to the cross to the empty tomb, Scripture shows He finishes what He starts. Practical Ways to Rest in His Plan Today • Surrender daily: Psalm 37:5 urges, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.” • Remember past faithfulness: Keep a journal of answered prayer and fulfilled promises. • Immerse in Scripture: Romans 10:17 links faith to hearing the word of Christ. • Choose worship over worry: Singing truth shifts focus from unknowns to the Known One. • Walk in today’s light: Obey the clear commands while waiting for further direction. • Seek godly counsel: Proverbs 11:14 celebrates safety in a multitude of counselors. • Guard community: Hebrews 10:24-25 calls believers to encourage one another, especially when life feels unclear. Encouragement for the Journey Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” Mary did not yet see why Jesus had to be in the temple that day; years later, she would watch Him fulfill everything written about Him. The same God writes our stories. Even when we echo Joseph and Mary—“We do not understand”—we can trust the Author who never wastes a chapter. |
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