God’s Mysterious Ways

March 7, 2008

By Jerry Scott

“God works in mysterious ways …” Comforters with good intentions usually offer up this line when they have nothing else to say. I sometimes want to ask, “Is that supposed to be comforting?”

When we are up against a crisis, when we don’t know which way to turn, what to do, or how to endure overwhelming pain there isn’t much comfort to be had from “mysterious ways.” Or, is there?

Yesterday I spent an hour or so with a young woman who has fought a courageous war with cancer for nine years. Several times in the last three years she has walked right up to death’s door, only to be miraculously (and I use that word deliberately) restored to some measure of health. Now she is once more in terrible pain, extremely weakened. As I knelt beside her bed and prayed for her, I could not help but wonder why the Lord would preserve her life, but not heal her completely.

None other than Moses ran into circumstances that tried his faith. Moses and Aaron arrived in Egypt with great news for the Hebrew slaves, “The Lord God has sent us to lead you out of slavery, back to the Land of Promise.” The people heard their message with great joy and they worshipped the Lord (Exodus 4:29-31). Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh to appeal for release of the Hebrews.

God had predicted Pharaoh would reject their plea. But God never gave Moses and Aaron all the details of what they would go through before the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt.

Pharaoh doubled the slaves’ workload, making life even more miserable! The Hebrew foremen went to Pharaoh and made an appeal to his fairness. His response was stone-cold, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord’ ” (Exodus 5:17, NIV). When the Hebrews next saw Moses and Aaron, they were not worshipping, nor were they joyful! “The foremen said to them, ‘May God see what you’ve done and judge you—you’ve made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You’ve put a weapon in his hand that’s going to kill us!’ ” (Exodus 5:21, The Message).

Moses was as confused as anyone. His prayer of complaint is one that most any of us could pray when God’s ways leave us confused: “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” (Exodus 5:22,23, NLT).

Yes, God was working! From our seat in the grandstand of history we look over the story and realize the Lord was setting the stage for a confrontation with the gods of Egypt, in which He would show His mighty hand and prove they were no gods at all. Egypt was a wonder of the ancient world and God would bring her to her knees before He was finished. But nobody knew that then. They were confused, in pain, and afraid, seeing only the situation that appeared to grow worse by the day.

Believer, if you’re in one of those seasons, let me say with deepest tenderness the words that are true: “God works in mysterious ways …” But let me finish that statement with another, “… His wonders to perform!”

I’m quoting a great 18th-century hymn by William Cowper. Cowper struggled with depression most of his life. In the depths of his pain, he wrote poems that have become well known. According to several sources, the hymn from which this line is taken was his last.

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Acknowledging the mystery of God’s ways is not meant to dismiss your pain or to judge you in your struggle. Instead it is a lifeline of hope that urges us to keep faith, to hope for Him, and to wait as patiently as we are able for His purposes to be revealed, purposes that are inevitably for our good as His children.

— Jerry D. Scott is senior pastor at Washington (N.J.) Assembly of God.