Reasoning with an Unreasonable God
I have great plans for my life. I don't ask for much. I don't need a fancy house or car. I don't need a six figure salary. Just give me the basic American dream- husband, 2 kids, and the house with the white picket fence (plus a couple dogs). Nothing too extravagant or unreasonable.
I don't know why God decides my plan isn't good enough. But lately, time and time again, God hasn't been meeting my very reasonable requests. I have a hard time understanding why God has to be so unreasonable!
Surely I'm not the only one. Has this ever happened to you? What we do when God is being unreasonable? Here's what I think...
First, explain the logic to God. Let's give God the benefit of the doubt. Maybe God just doesn't understand. If I logically explain why it makes sense for me to have it my way, surely he'll realize he was wrong and change his mind. "God, if I get this promotion, I'll have more money to give to the church." "God, if you heal me everyone will see how powerful you are!" "God, you say you hate divorce so there's no reason why you shouldn't fix my marriage." "God, you commanded us to be fruitful and multiply. So what reason would you have not to give me a baby?" If we can get God to understand how it's supposed to work, he's more likely to meet our very reasonable requests.
Second, try appealing to God's emotion. God loves us. So if we can get God to understand how hard he is being on us then he is more likely to change his mind. "God, this hurts too much." "This isn't fair!" "God, my heart is breaking. Why won't you make it stop?" "I've already had a really hard life. Nothing ever goes my way. I shouldn't have to go through this too." "Again God? Why are you doing this to me? Don't you love me?" If God realizes how much he's hurting us, he will realize how unreasonable he's being. After all, why would a loving God want his children to suffer?
Last, try compromising. Maybe we can't get God to sway completely our way. But if we give a little and God gives a little, maybe we can work something out. "Okay God, maybe this isn't in your will right now. Maybe you just want me to do XYZ and then it will be the right time. THEN you'll give me what I want." "God, I know you put us through trials to grow our faith. So if I learn to trust you enough, you'll take this away from me, right?" Try out an if/then compromise with God. "God if I do _, then you'll do _." Maybe God isn't being as unreasonable as we think and we just need to be willing to find a middle ground.
So what if you've tried all of these and God still hasn't budged? If you've really exhausted ALL your other options, try these instead...
Consider, just for a moment, that the world doesn't actually revolve around you. Take a piece of humble pie and realize that your sole purpose in this world is to glorify God. God uses both good and bad, judgment and salvation, to point people to himself. He will work all things together for your good. But more importantly, he will work all things together for HIS glory. Any good that comes to you is just an added bonus of being used to glorify an almighty God.
Second, remember that God doesn't owe you anything. He does not have to prove himself to you. The entitlement of some people is appalling! Some people go through life expecting everyone to bow to their will and do their bidding. The nerve! But is it possible you may have that very same attitude with God? How do you react when God doesn't bow to your will and do your bidding? Are you infuriated because you aren't getting what you believe you deserve? Or are you able to see that you exist to serve him, not the other way around?
Last, trust God even when you don't understand. We want life to be "easy as pie." If only we could pop life in the oven, know exactly how long it needs to bake for, pull it out, and voila! Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly how long we have to wait before we finally get it our way? But the reality is that we are not the baker. We are the pie. We are the ones waiting in that oven for the baker to pull us out whenever he determines is best. Being the pie gives me anxiety! It's hot in that oven! But how silly it would be if the pie tried to jump out of the oven before it was done baking! The pie relies on the baker for completion. In the same way, I must trust God in the heat of my trials, knowing that he will continue his good work within me until the day of my completion.
I've tried all these tactics to deal with an unreasonable God. After all my efforts, I'm realizing that maybe God isn't the one that's being unreasonable...
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