Impossible Ways

“God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep

that it is impossible to explain his decisions

or to understand his ways.” 

Romans 11:33

I think this is a challenging passage for people in the Western world.   We seem to thrive on figuring out anything that comes our way.  We discuss it…analyze it….figure out the why’s, and make plans and decisions so that whatever went wrong will never happen again.  We love to feel safe, secure, well-prepared, and we set up as many plans and strategies as possible so that “it” cannot touch us again.   We love to be in control.

When God first “invited” me to the Sahara Desert to interact with the Saharawi people living in the refugee camps there, I was utterly terrified. I’m sure that I left skid-marks all the way across the Atlantic. Nothing was as I had imagined, and the “mission” to  gather 9 children, get them on a plane, and bring them to the US turned upside-down from the get-go.

The next trip, I had gathered a team and we had all focused on trying to cover every detail so that everything would go as smoothly as possible.  We had a great plan.

Well….. By Day #2 in the desert, I had a clear picture in my mind of handing my pages of plans, strategies and details to God, watching Him patiently look through it, then crumpling it up in His Hand, tossing it over His Shoulder and with a big smile and twinkle in His Eye, saying,  “OK…. now here’s what we’re going to do…”  And I was again flying by the seat of my pants, hanging on for dear life to His Coattails.

The Path God has led me along in these past 20 years would have NEVER, ever, ever been a thought in my own mind.   Certainly not anythingI would have considered, hoped, or wanted to do.  Yet, I wouldn’t change it for anything.  The challenges, the tears, the sense of loneliness, the spiritual warfare at every turn . . . none of that outweighs the depth of joy and awe that I’ve experienced by having a front row seat to watch God’s Spirit, in an impossible place and impossible situation, moving, working, bringing awareness of His Love, and touching..changing hearts and lives for eternity.

His Ways, His Decisions have been SO far beyond what my plans could have done.  More than I could have even imagined.  They have also involved deep pain and loss, also more than I could have imagined. But even in that, His riches, wisdom and love have been deeper still.

And in my heart of hearts, I wouldn’t want it any other way.