By: Juliet Constantine

Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind. (Jeremiah 12:1-2 NKJV)
 

He just didn’t understand. It made no sense to him. He had questions for God because he needed answers. In my interpretation, Jeremiah asked: “Why is the way of the wicked so prosperous? Why everything they touch ‘turned to gold’? Why weren’t those who deal so treacherously punished for their wickedness? They neither feared God nor regard man; yet they seemed so happy basking in the success of their treachery.”

Like Jeremiah, from time to time, we all have questions for God. We just don’t understand why God allowed certain things to happen. A child may ask: “Why did God allow my mommy/daddy to die or to leave home? Why did He allow my mom/dad to lose their job? Why did God allow me to be hungry and why did we lose our home? There are many more questions that puzzled our minds that we sometimes asked of God to explain; yet, in all the confusion that reigns, God only whispers, “my child, carry on.”

In His answer to Jeremiah, God had questions of His own: “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” God seems to be hinting to Jeremiah that it would only get worse before it gets better, as this was only the beginning of the struggle. Nevertheless, he should carry on. His answer to us is the same. Carry on.

Nothing is wrong with questioning God. Others did it before and God answered. David did question the prosperity of the wicked. His heart almost became envious. Like Jeremiah, God showed him the end of the wicked; and like Jeremiah, David was encouraged to carry on because he would experience the greater joy in the end. He would not be envious of the wicked and their achievements. He would continue to have faith and trust in God. Like others before you, God is willing to listen and discuss your concerns. Tell it to Him and carry on.

Are you bowed down with care? Have you personally experienced injustice and there seems nothing you can do about it? Does it seem like all you touch turned to stone and just withered and died? Is your faith in God seems stretched to the limit? Carry on. Don’t give up and don’t give in. Don’t be envious of others prosperity. Keep on believing. Your breakthrough is coming. Carry on. God will see you through.

Dear Father, I do not understand why I suffer so when I trust in You. I do not understand why things are so rough with me, yet others have more than enough to waste. I do not always understand Your judgments Father, but I trust You to work it all out. Please strengthen my faith in You I pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)