In a sermon that Steven Furtick preached he said that sometimes we search for the reason something happened instead of looking a revelation. This idea really struck a cord with me. We often find ourselves experiencing a life altering event, relationship, or uncomfortable season, and then question God as to why that happened. These events and relationships that cause us pain, lead us down a path of questions towards God. We search for reasons as to why something terrible would happen. Or wonder until our mind is exhausted how God would allow something so painful to enter our world.
We function under the belief, if I could just understand why, then I could move on. The reality of trying to understand why will lead you on a wild goose chase, mostly in your mind, that will likely never end. Trying to figure out the reason why is like an addictive drug. You start searching for something and even if you find a small reason or clue to your question it will quickly not be enough. Your mind will crave more reasons and you begin to enter into digging a never-ending hole going deeper and deeper. Before you realize, you are in the deepest darkest place, all in a search to find a reason as to why something happened, with no real answers.
Moving our mindset from searching for a reason to looking for a revelation is not easy. You see, when we start searching for a reason we feel in control. We want to be in control because we feel as though things have been out of order. But when we look for a revelation we are having to put our trust in God. We have to move from a season where we felt we have no control and force ourselves to not pick up control but instead look to God, the very one we want to blame and question, for a revelation.
If we can allow our minds to give up the exhausting search for reason and simply be still and look for a revelation we will find the peace we need for the painful season. God is always there revealing Himself. But we if we are too busy searching for a reason we will miss the revelation that God is providing.
There are numerous examples of this in the Bible but Joseph is the one that sticks out to me. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, they then told their father he died. Joseph was then raised up in the house of Potiphar only to find himself lied about and thrown into prison. He then to helped his fellow prisoners out only to be forgotten about. Finally he was raised up to his rightful position as second in command of all the nation.
Through this entire story we never hear of Joseph sinking into a pit of misery and questions. He never lets his heart and mind run astray with questions of why. Instead he fixed his focus on God and recognized the revelation in front of him. He could have stayed in the slave mindset with questions, hurt, and anger but instead he was waiting for the revelation and he recognized it when Potiphar showed up. With a slave and abandoned mindset he could have never served Potiphar the way he was destined too. Yet he finds himself lied about and thrown in prison. Even then he didn’t spend his time dwelling on finding a reason but instead looked for a revelation. And the revelation came in the form of serving other prisoners and then revealing the meaning of dreams. Even then being forgotten about he continued looking for the next revelation of God and ended up being thrusted from prison into his promised position.
Joseph had plenty of opportunities and a lot of time to search for a reason, but he was determined to look for the revelation. It is normal and natural for our hearts and minds to want a reason and even question why. But when we start that search for a reason our focus shifts and we only focus on what we can see and what we can control. In the midst of wanting to understand why and wishing we understood the reason, we can choose to be on the lookout for a revelation that God will use to take us to places beyond what we have dreamt of. In order for us to live a life of flourishing faith we can’t allow ourselves to get stuck in a pattern of asking questions we may never get answers too. We must push pass the hurt, pain, and questions and look up. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?My help comesfrom the Lord. Who made heaven and earth.” Psalms 121:1-2 I will look up for my help with expectations of a revelation that everything I went through will be for a greater purpose, that beauty can come from ashes, that hope always prevails, and God’s goodness will shine as my beacon of light.