Standing When You Don’t Understand: Finding Strength in Uncertain Times
In a world filled with confusion and heartbreak, we often find ourselves desperately seeking to understand why things happen. From school shootings to personal tragedies, our natural human tendency is to try to make sense of it all. But what if our spiritual calling isn’t to understand, but simply to stand?
Our Job Is Not to Understand, But to Stand
The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that “having done everything, therefore stand.” While our human quest is to understand, our spiritual responsibility is to stand firm. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t seek wisdom, but it does mean we need to recognize the limitations of our human understanding.
Paul explains that we’re not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities in the unseen world. This battle isn’t physical—it’s spiritual. And to stand in this battle, we need spiritual tools, not just human understanding.
Why Can’t We Understand Everything That Happens?
In Isaiah 55:8-9, God tells us: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”
God never promised we would understand everything. In fact, He promised the opposite—that there are things beyond our comprehension. Just as adults understand things that children cannot grasp, God understands things that are beyond our human capacity.
Trust Instead of Understanding
Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding.” Notice how trust is positioned against understanding. Instead of trying to understand everything, we’re called to stand in trust.
The story of Job perfectly illustrates this principle. Job lost everything—his family, wealth, health, and reputation—without understanding why. What he didn’t know was that his suffering was part of a larger spiritual battle. Through it all, Job declared, “Though I cannot see him, I know he’s there” (Job 23). He trusted God without understanding God.
How Do We Stand When We Don’t Understand?
1. Don’t Try to Make Sense of Things That Don’t Make Sense
Stop exhausting yourself trying to understand what God has already told us we won’t fully comprehend. Instead, seek wisdom—knowing what to do with what you know and don’t know.
God didn’t promise understanding; He promised wisdom. James tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom, they can ask God who gives generously. Understanding focuses on “why,” while wisdom focuses on “what now.”
2. Rejoice in Everything Without Rejoicing for Everything
First Thessalonians 5:16-18 instructs us to “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances.” Notice it says “in” all circumstances, not “for” all circumstances.
Joy is different from happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is a fruit of the Spirit that can exist regardless of our situation. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I praise him.” We find joy in the times, not from the times.
If you struggle to praise God during difficult situations, it may indicate a lack of trust. Praise flows naturally from trust.
3. Use the Bad to Build the Good
In Nehemiah 4, we see how Nehemiah used the broken, charred bricks from Jerusalem’s ruined walls to rebuild something stronger. Similarly, we can use our painful experiences to build something meaningful.
Don’t pick up the broken pieces of your life to throw them in anger or blame. Instead, use them to build something new. Science confirms that people who transform pain into purpose tend to be happier and make a greater difference in the world.
The Stand Plan
To stand firm when you don’t understand:
- Praise God continually
- Pray “nevertheless” intentionally (like Jesus who said, “Not my will, but yours be done”)
- Practice acts of faith deliberately
- Pick up a brick daily—do one thing each day that builds rather than destroys
The world doesn’t need more people cursing the darkness; it needs people who will stand up and turn on the light.
Life Application
This week, I challenge you to implement the “Stand Plan” in your daily life:
- Identify one area where you’ve been seeking understanding, and consciously release it to God, asking for wisdom instead.
- Begin and end each day with praise, regardless of your circumstances.
- Take one concrete action each day that demonstrates your faith—whether that’s sharing your faith with someone, performing an act of kindness, or standing firm in your convictions.
Ask yourself:
- Where am I spending too much energy trying to understand rather than simply trusting God?
- How can I cultivate an attitude of praise even in difficult circumstances?
- What “brick” can I pick up today to build something good rather than throwing it in anger or frustration?
Remember, our spiritual strength doesn’t come from understanding everything, but from standing firm in what we know about God’s character—that He is good, He is working, and He can be trusted even when we don’t understand.
