“I do not understand, but He does.”

by Tammy Phillips
November 14, 2022

 “Yes, God is mighty, but he despises no one; he understands all things.”  [Job 36:5 CSB]

The past three years…I do not understand.

I do not understand why so many parents I know have lost their child prematurely.
I do not understand why people are so easily deceived.
I do not understand why children are born with severe disabilities.
I do not understand why cancer is allowed to continue its thievery.
I do not understand why people call evil good and good evil.
I do not understand why zero sugar caramel macchiato is an endangered species. (comic relief)
I do not understand why people are not working, nor want to work.
I do not understand why God’s people die suddenly in car wrecks.
I do not understand why homelessness is rampant.
I do not understand why anyone would be so hopeless as to take their life.
I do not understand why (you fill in the blank).

Recently, I was sitting on the steps of First Baptist Knoxville with my prayer-warrior and sister in Christ, Kristi.  We were praying for revelation, restoration and revival for Knoxville, Tennessee. We prayed for the government, judicial system, leaders, police, schools, churches, hospitals, the river, roads, businesses, and all the people of the city.  We had just met a homeless women named Karen who told us her story and had encouraged us not to miss the free lunch in the park.  As we were praying and seeing the homeless pass, my heart broke.  Seeking the Lord, I cried out,  “I do not understand!” 

It did not take long for Him to respond.  He led me to Isaiah 40 for Kristi,  but also brought me to His answer for my plea in Isaiah 40:28:

 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding.” [Isa 40:28 CSB] 

And then the focus verse… “He understands all things.”  [Job 36:5 CSB]

I thought, “I do not understand, but He understand all things.”  We are never going to understand, but He does.  We have to be ok not understanding, but have confidence in Him that He knows all things.  Did I love His answer? Not really, but it is the truth, and the truth will set us free!  The truth will set us free from thinking we will ever understand what is not understandable.  The world is broken and that is why He sent Jesus to reveal God to us, to restore us to good standing with God and to revive us.  He sent the Holy Spirit to tell us what we need to know when we need to know it.

“Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite.” [Psalm 147:5 NKJV]

I enCOURAGE you to “trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.”  [Proverbs 3:5-6 CSB]

Seek Him first. “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”  [Proverbs 2:6 CSB]

“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.” [Proverbs 4:5 NKJV].  Understand that it is ok not to understand because God does. This will eventually bring you peace in your brokenness.

In loving memory of Brandon Tharpe,  Eleanor Grace Crockett, Khandra Smalley, and all the many others who have taken an earlier flight.