WE CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT

Many of the "hows" and "whys" of life remain inscrutable mysteries. There are many things we just can't figure out. In terms of ultimate reality and meaning the Bible is clear that what we know we know by God's revelation - whether it be natural revelation or special revelation. We never figure it out on our own. Mankind in his PRIDE just keeps trying to figure it out and continues to stumble around in blindness and darkness (Eph. 4:18). Humanity is perplexed over the most basic of questions: How did I get here?, Who am I?, Why am I here?, Where am I going?

The Bible gives us this BIG PICTURE outline.

1) God is sovereign over all the affairs of life (Dan. 2; 4).
2) We live in a broken world involving human responsibility (Gen. 3).
3) Satan is the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4).

We are told the following...

1) We are living in the last days (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 1:2).
2) The world is on a collision course with God's judgment (Acts 17:30-31).
3) God in this age is building a forever family of believers called the CHURCH (Mt. 16:18).

Ecclesiastes is the most "philosophical" book in the Bible. Solomon relying on his own wisdom tried to make sense out of life and found it to be totally frustrating. He used the word "vanity" 33 times in the book. It means that which is futile, empty, or a vapor. Again, and again Solomon comes back to God for without Him we can't make sense out of it. Life is uncertain. It defies a specific formula. Its trajectory is unpredictable. For this reason James 4:15 says, "If the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that."

Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)
9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 20:24 (NKJV)
24 A man’s steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way?

We can't figure out life but what we can do is TRUST GOD! It all comes down to the issue of TRUST! This is the one thing God asks us to do. We have no idea what is coming or even why, but God does. He is the Good Shepherd Who knows all and controls all. All He asks is that we TRUST Him. Before God this is the great issue in life. It's all about TRUSTING Him. In inscrutable ways He is working all things together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NKJV)
14 I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (NKJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

The purpose of life can be boiled down to GOD! We are created for Him to serve Him and His purposes. We can't figure life out but God has it all figured out and He asks us to TRUST Him. Jesus is the LIGHT of the world and it's in Him that we find our meaning, purpose, and satisfaction (Jn. 8:12).

"God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart." -Charles Spurgeon

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.