By Esther Belin
Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
Eccles. 7:13 (NLT)
For a long time I was troubled by this verse. In my brain, crooked means imperfection. I had a hard time believing that God would
make crooked things since the word perfect is regularly used to describe Him. Why would God make something crooked intentionally? My inner dialogue says: The painting hangs crooked. The hem is crooked. The underlining of my favorite verse in my
bible is crooked. I have seen many a
student tear out or cross out their writing because it is crooked.
As Christ followers, to seek perfection like Christ is a logical desire – that is easy to accept because walking it out can mean living out God’s purpose for our lives – and I want God’s perfect and chosen destiny for my life (Jer. 1:5-8). That destiny is harder to accept when part of God’s purpose is a crooked path.
As Christ followers, to seek perfection like Christ is a logical desire – that is easy to accept because walking it out can mean living out God’s purpose for our lives – and I want God’s perfect and chosen destiny for my life (Jer. 1:5-8). That destiny is harder to accept when part of God’s purpose is a crooked path.
I know that God’s ways are not our ways – and I know that God is sovereign over all. And I love that as I grapple with this verse, God’s sovereignty is being revealed to me and I feel silly because it suddenly becomes so obvious that harboring knowledge is not the same as applying knowledge. Harboring knowledge has been a hindrance for me. While seeking knowledge is generally a good aspiration, I actually built a high place out of my knowledge. I turned something good into something hindering, sinful.
In my preoccupation of straightening, I was not accepting
the crooked. I tried to straighten the
crooked by applying my knowledge without seeking God’s instruction. I was in constant road construction!
The anxiety of continual highway traffic created fuel for resistance of God’s crookedness. I became overly alert, controlling and sensitive because I was desperately searching for an exit or a smoother road or another driver. Accepting the way God does things means letting Him drive!
Jonah’s prayer was also very helpful to me: “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:7-8 NIV). I was missing God’s grace by not accepting the way He does things.
I do love how God’s word is filled with many crooked paths that have been used for His glory. I am applying those tales of Jonah, Moses, Joseph, Ruth, Esther (and many more) to redirect my rebellious inner dialogue that still tries to bump God from the driver’s seat.
Taking unnecessary detours, creating detours – basically pulling a Jonah (Jonah 1:1-3).
The anxiety of continual highway traffic created fuel for resistance of God’s crookedness. I became overly alert, controlling and sensitive because I was desperately searching for an exit or a smoother road or another driver. Accepting the way God does things means letting Him drive!
Jonah’s prayer was also very helpful to me: “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” (Jonah 2:7-8 NIV). I was missing God’s grace by not accepting the way He does things.
I do love how God’s word is filled with many crooked paths that have been used for His glory. I am applying those tales of Jonah, Moses, Joseph, Ruth, Esther (and many more) to redirect my rebellious inner dialogue that still tries to bump God from the driver’s seat.
My prayer for you dear readers is that you would not wait until your life is ebbing away to call upon our Lord and Savior – He is waiting for you to remember Him – He is waiting to hear from you.
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