Scripture for Study and Encouragement: Isaiah 40:1-11

Today you’ll encounter things that will confuse you, but rest assured
the one who rules all those things is not confused.

We really don’t know much. Every day we are all greeted with mysteries. None of us can predict for sure where our personal stories are going. We are all confused about what happens to us, to those close to us, and in the world in which we live. As much as we try to make sense of our lives, there are things that we simply aren’t able to understand. Here’s what all of this means—you and I will never find inner peace and rest by trying to figure it all out. Peace is found in resting in the wisdom and grace of the one who has it all figured out and rules it all for his glory and our good.

When our children were very young, when I would refuse to let them do something, they didn’t understand why, so they would begin to protest. I would then get down on my knees so we could be face to face, and then I would talk with them. The conversation would go like this:

“Do you know that your daddy loves you?”

“Yes, I know my daddy loves me.”

“Is your daddy mean and bad to you?”

“No, you don’t like to be mean.”

“Is your daddy a horrible, bad daddy?”

“No.”

“Then listen to what daddy is going to say. I would like to tell you why I had to say ‘no’ to what you wanted to do, but I can’t. If I explained it to you, you wouldn’t understand anyway, so here’s what you need to do. You need to walk down the hallway and say to yourself, ‘I don’t know why daddy said no to me, but I know my daddy loves me and I’m going to trust my daddy.’ I really do love you.”

“I love you too.”

There is so much that we don’t understand. There is so much that we are incapable of understanding. So rest is found in trusting the Father. He is not confused, and he surely does have your best interest in mind. Yes, he will ask you to do hard things and he will bring difficult things your way, but he is worthy of your trust and he loves you dearly. Today your heavenly Father reaches down to you and says: “I know you don’t understand all that you face, but remember, I love you. Trust me and you will find peace that can be found no other way.”

Adapted and modified excerpts from Paul David Tripp, 40 Days of Faith
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.