Fruitful Living
UNDERSTANDING GOD WHEN HE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
We found this on the net from Bible Study Tools and find it so compelling that we are glad to share it with you.
INTRODUCTION
We have all heard it said before that God has a plan for our lives. And it’s not just any plan but a good plan. These aren’t just ideas we conjure up to make ourselves feel good, this is what God has promised.
If this is true (and it is) I want to pose a question:
• Why doesn’t it always feel good?
• Why is it that sometimes in the middle of God’s good plan, something happens that just doesn’t make any sense?
• What do you do when God’s good plan for your life seems to go sideways?
• When instead of everything going right, it feels all wrong?
WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
The two reasons why sometimes we feel that God’s plan is going awry in our lives are expectation and elevation.
• EXPECTATION
Quite frankly when we hear that God is good and He has good plans in store for our life, we generally come to a simple conclusion…everything that happens in our lives is going to be good. Consider for a moment Joseph in the Old Testament.
God gave him a dream in Genesis 37 where his brothers and his parents would eventually bow down to him. I don’t know if Joseph fully understood the dream but it probably created in him an expectation of good things happening in his life. After all his father loved him and he had no reason to think otherwise.
We often react the same way. Knowing that God our father loves us and He has the best planned for us, we expect it all to go well. We don’t give any room to anything else. The promise of Romans 8:28 is that God will work everything for our good, not that everything will always feel good.
• ELEVATION
The second reason God doesn’t make sense sometimes is because His thinking is far above ours. In Isaiah 55:8-9 God reminds us that His thoughts and ways are not our ways. In fact, they are far above or elevated over our thoughts and ways. This means that the methods and strategies that God has designed to fulfill this good plan in our life go far beyond your thought process. In other words, He is going to get us there, He just may take a different route to do it.
Keeping these two things in mind, I would like to share with you 5 things to do to help us understand God better when He doesn’t make sense.
- WE HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH GOD
I have often heard people say we can’t question God. My response to that has always been why not? God is our heavenly Father. We have every right to come before Him with everything we don’t understand, in fact God Himself encourages it as we read in 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” This means that our cares, our concerns, our worries, in other words…everything.
Prayer only works if we are completely honest and transparent with God. Don’t worry, He can handle every emotion we have. Whether it is fear, anger, worry, concern, joy, sadness, doubt, uncertainty – God our Father can handle it.
In Matthew 11 John the Baptist was in prison. He was there after having preached about the coming of the Messiah; after having baptized Jesus and declared Him the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; after seeing the Holy Spirit descend on him and hearing the voice from heaven declare this is my Son with whom I am well pleased; after seeing and hearing of the miracles. Jesus said of those born among women, there is no one greater than John the Baptist.
John from his prison cell sent his disciples to ask Jesus a question. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” – Matthew 11:3. John was uncertain. He was unsure. He didn’t know, so what did he do? He asked. And when Jesus heard the question, He wasn’t offended. He responded. Be certain today you can be open and honest before God. Trust me, you won’t offend Him. In fact He invites us into His presence.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” – Matthew 11:28-29. - LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US
Romans 15:4 gives us a wonderful reminder, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”
Everything that was written before was to teach us. Remember when Paul wrote this to the church in Rome, there wasn’t a New Testament, all they had was the Old Testament. Paul encourages them to learn from what God has done, study his track record.
What I love about the people we read about in the Bible is that God doesn’t leave anything out. We see their struggles, their questions, their doubts. Yes, we see their victories and successes as well, but God doesn’t leave out the challenges they faced to get to the destination God had for them. God did this to encourage us.
It’s like He is saying “Yes my child there will be times where what I am doing won’t make sense to you. However, as you have seen in the lives of those who have come before you, I will always come through. I have fulfilled my promises before and I will do the same for you.” - WE HAVE TO STOP BLAMING YOURSELF
One of the lies of Satan is to get us to believe that if God is not doing something fast enough in our lives, it is our fault. Have you ever asked the question why me or what did I do to deserve this? Many times, the answer is nothing. However, I am not talking about people who choose to willfully live in sin, that’s a whole different conversation.
I want to give you hard truth. We live in a sinful, fallen world. There will be things that will happen simply because of this fact. This reality will sometimes leave questions that may never get answered on this side of eternity. If and when these things happen, don’t blame yourself.
If you are walking with God and obeying his word, even then life will happen. We have to understand that as believers our hope is not just for this life. All of God’s goodness will not be experienced in this life. He has even more planned for us. Let us stop blaming ourselves when something unexpected happens. Remember that it is not our fault and recognize the best is yet to come.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9. - WE HAVE TO BELIEVE AND TRUST
Let’s face it, the Christian walk is a walk of faith and trust. There is no way around it. 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us of this truth: “For we live by faith, not by sight.”
The hard part about faith is that many times the circumstances don’t always align. Where you are going doesn’t always match where you are. If you remember Joseph’s story, he was headed to the palace yet he had to go through prison before he got there. This is where faith and trust come into play. Faith says “I don’t know what you are doing but I know you are working it out for my good. Because I believe that, then I can trust you.”
Just like we often group grace and mercy together, faith and trust are necessary if we are going to understand what God is doing in our life. - REMEMBER JESUS
One of the best ways to understand God when life doesn’t make sense is to remember Jesus. While we understand what Jesus did looking back on it now, His disciples and the people who were alive while it was happening didn’t get it. Jesus is our great champion, the Son of God, the miracle worker, the one who speaks and the winds and waves obey Him.
He is the one who has all power and authority, but He is going to die and this death is going to bring us life? No one truly understood it while it was happening. The pieces of the puzzle didn’t come together until after the resurrection. That’s when it started to make sense. Notice Peter’s words in the book of Acts:
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear … Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” – Acts 2:32-33, 36.
By remembering Jesus’ life, we will understand that sometimes the way God gets you to the desired result doesn’t always follow the script we think it should. No one at the time thought that Jesus’ death on the cross was a good idea, but now we know it was the best thing that has ever happened for all of us.
IT WILL ALL COME TOGETHER
As you can see the promises and plans of God for our lives are good. Nonetheless, along the way to getting there we may encounter some things that will make you want to question that. When this happens (and chances are it will) remember how great God’s love is for us and trust that His love for us will never fail. His good plan will be accomplished in our lives and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. As the Apostle Paul reminds us:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Romans 8:38-39.
Let us walk with God today and know that God has nothing but the best planned for us. Even when it doesn’t make sense.
Stay blessed!
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AS the blessed month of Ramadan gradually draws to a close, Muslims across the world enter what is widely regarded as the most sacred and spiritually rewarding period of the entire month—the last 10 days of Ramadan. For believers, these final days represent not merely the conclusion of fasting but the climax of a profound spiritual journey.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims engage in fasting, prayer, charity, and self-discipline in order to cultivate righteousness and strengthen their relationship with Allah. Yet the final 10 days are particularly unique because they contain extraordinary opportunities for forgiveness, spiritual renewal, and divine mercy. It is during this period that Muslims are encouraged to intensify their devotion, increase acts of worship, and seek closeness to their Creator.
The Qur’an highlights the significance of Ramadan itself, reminding believers that it was during this month that divine revelation began. Allah states that Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for humanity and as clear proof distinguishing truth from falsehood (Qur’an 2:185). However, the greatest spiritual treasures of Ramadan are believed to lie hidden within its final nights.
Laylatul Qadr: The night greater than a lifetime
The most important event expected during the last ten days is Laylatul Qadr, commonly translated as the Night of Power or the Night of Decree. The Qur’an describes this night as one that is better than a thousand months of worship (Qur’an 97:1–5). In practical terms, this means that a single night of sincere devotion may carry rewards greater than more than eighty-three years of continuous worship.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasised the extraordinary blessings attached to this night. He taught that whoever stands in prayer on Laylatul Qadr with sincere faith and hope in Allah’s reward will have all their past sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 1901; Sahih Muslim 760).
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further taught us the most auspicious supplication on that night:
“Oh Allah, you are the forgiver, you love to forgive, so forgive me.”
Because the precise date of Laylatul Qadr is not known, Muslims are encouraged to seek it during the odd-numbered nights within the last ten days of Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 2017). This encourages believers to maintain devotion throughout the entire period rather than focusing on a single night.
I‘tikāf: A retreat for the soul
Another important spiritual practice associated with the last ten days of Ramadan is I‘tikāf, a form of spiritual retreat in the mosque devoted entirely to worship and reflection.
During I‘tikāf, a believer withdraws temporarily from daily distractions and focuses exclusively on strengthening their relationship with Allah. The wife of the Prophet Muhammad, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), reported that the Prophet regularly observed I‘tikāf during the last ten days of Ramadan until his passing (Sahih al-Bukhari 2026; Sahih Muslim 1172).
Those who observe I‘tikāf dedicate their time to reciting and studying the Qur’an, performing voluntary prayers, remembering Allah through dhikr, seeking forgiveness, and making sincere supplications. The Qur’an itself acknowledges those who remain in retreat in the mosques as part of their devotion (Qur’an 2:187).
Zakatul Fitr: Ensuring no one is left behind
At its conclusion, Muslims are required to give Zakatul Fitr, a charitable donation distributed to the poor before the Eid prayer.
The Prophet Muhammad made this charity obligatory upon every Muslim, young or old, male or female (Sahih al-Bukhari 1503; Sahih Muslim 984). The wisdom behind this obligation is both spiritual and social.
Zakatul Fitr serves to purify the fasting person from any mistakes or shortcomings that may have occurred during Ramadan. At the same time, it provides food and support to the poor so that they too can celebrate the festival of Eid with dignity and happiness (Sunan Abu Dawud 1609).
Following the Prophetic example
The Prophet Muhammad treated the last 10 days of Ramadan with exceptional seriousness and devotion. According to Aisha, when these nights began, he intensified his worship, spent the nights in prayer, and encouraged his family members to do the same (Sahih al-Bukhari 2024; Sahih Muslim 1174).
This prophetic example offers important lessons for Muslims today. Believers are encouraged to use these final days to increase night prayers, recite and reflect upon the Qur’an, make abundant supplications, remember Allah frequently, and give charity generously.
A rare opportunity that must not be wasted
One of the most powerful lessons of Ramadan is that spiritual opportunities do not last forever. Many believers begin Ramadan with enthusiasm but gradually lose momentum as the month progresses.
However, the true success of Ramadan lies in finishing the month stronger than it began. The Prophet warned that a person is truly unfortunate if Ramadan passes and their sins are not forgiven (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3545).
For this reason, Muslims are encouraged during these final days to sincerely repent to Allah, repair broken relationships, forgive others, increase acts of kindness, and renew their commitment to righteous living.
The final stretch of the spiritual journey
The last 10 days of Ramadan represent one of the greatest opportunities for spiritual transformation in the life of a believer. Within these nights lies Laylatul Qadr—a night whose blessings exceed decades of worship.
These days also remind Muslims of the importance of reflection, charity, discipline, and devotion. They provide a chance to correct past mistakes, seek forgiveness, and renew one’s relationship with Allah.
Those who seize these final days with sincerity and determination may leave Ramadan not only forgiven but spiritually renewed and strengthened for the journey ahead.
Author’s profile
Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai is the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Chief Imam, a Governance Expert, and a Certified Counsellor. He regularly contributes to national discourse on religion, social development, governance, and moral leadership, and participates in media discussions on family life, ethics, and community development.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, Kpone Katamanso Municipal Chief Imam | Governance Expert | Certified Counsellor
Satan tempts Jesus with the offer of rulership over all the kingdoms of the world, a proposal that Jesus rejects. This could be viewed as an appeal for material wealth, possessions and power.
Jesus’ kingdom in this age is not a worldly kingdom. Throughout His ministry, Jesus would refuse to seek a kingdom for Himself by the worldly methods of compromise, earthly power, political maneuvering, external violence or personal popularity.
Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual one, established in the hearts of His people, who have also refused to follow the ungodly ways of the world. As a heavenly kingdom,
- It is gained through suffering, self – denial, humility and meekness – the opposite of how worldly people pursue power;
- It requires surrendering ourselves as living and holy sacrifices completely devoted and obedient to God and His purposes; Romans 12:1 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
- It involves a battle against Satan, sin, temptation and evil using spiritual weapons. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. – Ephesians 6:10-20.
- It means resisting conformity to the beliefs, behaviours and lifestyles that are common in the world. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. – 1 John 2:15-17
Satan’s appeal to worship Him was an attempt to get Jesus to take a quick route to a world domination – to avoid the humility and sufferings that would lead to Jesus’ death on the cross. This is to say, the devil was trying to get Jesus to lay aside His entire purpose for coming to earth. Christ’s willingness to face all the difficulties that lay ahead is an example to all believers. He taught us that there are no shortcuts to fulfilling God’s perfect purposes for our lives, no matter how tempting the options may seem.
Stay Blessed!
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee
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