God Works In Mysterious Ways?

Sunday Teaching

Jun 16

The full video of this teaching is available at the bottom of this post and this link.

LAID OFF

He couldn't believe it. After seven years on the company's production line, security was now watching him empty his locker and escort him out of the building. Among the 23 people on that line, he was one of the three laid off as the company tightened its belt.

As he opened his car door and set the contents of his locker on the front seat, he placed his key fob in the cup holder. He sat in disbelief, searching for a way to make sense of this. Finally, he remembered what his grandma used to tell him, "God works in mysterious ways," and said it out loud as he pushed the start button on his car and put it into gear, adding, "Let's see what God has for me next."

Let me take you back to the management team meeting in the company conference room three weeks earlier. The CEO and CFO had just sent a memo to the team, stating that they needed to cut three positions from the production line to bring the company budget back into the black. Faced with this challenging task, the management team decided to make the decision by reviewing each employee's production data. They resolved to lay off the three people with the lowest production numbers, regardless of the management team’s personal feelings about the employees. It was a tough but necessary decision, a direct consequence of the employees' insufficient productivity.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

In his confusion and stress, he used his grandma's spiritual wisdom, "God works in mysterious ways," as a shield to deflect personal responsibility for his work ethic. It was easier to think that this layoff was some grand, mysterious plan rather than face the fact that his own lack of effort had contributed to his layoff.

Jesus never said it, yet have you used the phrase "God works in mysterious ways" to excuse personal responsibility? Think about it. How often do we hide behind these comforting words, avoiding the hard truth about our actions and choices?

EXPLAIN AWAY TRAGEDY

A devastating hurricane hits the Gulf Coast, wiping out thousands of homes and taking dozens of lives. The images of destruction and loss are heart-wrenching. Living in Ohio, far from the devastation, we feel sorrow and disbelief. We even utter a prayer, "God, please help those people." Then, when discussing the tragedy with friends, unsure of what to say, we remark, "God works in mysterious ways."

By saying this, we imply that God caused this natural catastrophe for a higher purpose. This comment glosses over the real pain and need for empathy, making the disaster seem like just part of God's plan instead of recognizing the desperate need for support and rebuilding. It becomes easy to retreat into the comfort of distance, avoiding the uncomfortable reality of the situation.

NEVER SAY IT AT A FUNERAL

I was leading a funeral for a 5-year-old neighbor girl who had tragically died of leukemia. At the viewing, the day before the funeral, I was standing at the head of the casket where two ladies were talking to each other. In 25 years of pastoral ministry, I have heard some pretty dumb things. This moment was one of those. One lady laid her hand over the casket's edge and said to the person beside her, "God works in mysterious ways."

I know she meant to provide comfort, but she was actually implying that this heartbreaking tragedy is God's doing. This overlooks the message in Genesis 1-3, where it's clear that God did not cause or desire such suffering. God created the world and everything in it, declaring it "very good.” There was no death, grief, or pain, only perfect harmony between God, humanity, and creation.

However, this perfect state was disrupted by human rebellion against God. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, sin entered the world, bringing death and deterioration. This original sin fundamentally altered humanity and the earth, introducing decay and suffering into what was once a perfect creation. This was not God's doing but the consequence of human misuse of free will. Therefore, the tragedies we face, like the untimely death of a child, are a result of living in a fallen world, not part of God's “mysterious” plan or desire for us.

Despite this, there is hope. The same God who granted humanity free will also promises to remedy all that has gone wrong. The Bible's story is one of redemption and restoration. Through Jesus Christ, God provides a way to overcome sin and death, offering eternal life and the promised restoration of all creation. While we grieve and acknowledge the world's deep pain and brokenness, we can also hold on to this promise that God is working to make all things new, ultimately wiping away every tear and eradicating death forever.

PLEASE STOP SAYING IT

Let's imagine you walk out of your bedroom just in time to see your mom hit dad over the head with a frying pan and push him down the basement stairs. Shocked, you say, "Mom, why did you clonk Dad's head and push him down the stairs?" She looks at you with a straight face and replies, "I work in mysterious ways!"

And there you have it. One illustration of why you should never say it again. We use it to avoid personal responsibility and explain away tragedy while indirectly blaming God for the confusion and suffering we face.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

— Isaiah 55:8-9

ISAIAH 55:8-9

At this point in the book of Isaiah, Israel is going through a tough time—they're suffering because they disobeyed God and worshiped idols. The earlier chapters of Isaiah talk a lot about their rebellion and idolatry being the main reasons why they're being judged and living in exile.

Isaiah chapters 40-55, is often referred to as 'Second Isaiah'. Chapter 55 marks a shift in focus from judgment to the comforting and promising aspects of restoration. This chapter, in particular, extends a warm and open invitation to the people of Israel, urging them to return to God and place their trust in His promise of redemption and a life filled with abundance. In verses 8-9, God reassures them that His ways and plans for their restoration are far beyond their capacity to understand. They're probably struggling to see how their suffering and exile could lead to something good. They also question His methods and timing. But God is reminding them that His wisdom and plans are infinitely greater than what they can comprehend.

These verses highlight a stark contrast between our limited human perspective and God's all-knowing, all-loving nature. It encourages the Israelites (and us) to trust in His ultimate plan for salvation and restoration, even when it doesn't make immediate sense to us.

CONTRASTING THE SAYING WITH ISAIAH 55:8-9

The primary difference is that "God works in mysterious ways" is a non-biblical, superficial catch-all phrase we often use to explain away events we find confusing or tragic. In contrast, Isaiah 55:8-9 emphasizes that God's thoughts and ways are far beyond human comprehension due to our limited and often self-centered viewpoints. It highlights that God's actions are based on His wisdom that surpasses our understanding, encouraging us to trust in His higher purposes, as we cannot see the whole picture.

NOT MYSTERIOUS

God's ways are not "mysterious." We know exactly what He is like through Jesus. The Bible is very clear on this. Colossians 1:15a tells us, "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God." When we look at Jesus, we are looking at God. There's no guesswork, hidden agenda, or mysterious qualities about God's character or ways we must decipher. Jesus shows us everything we need to know.

Jesus Himself made this abundantly clear. In John 14:6-9, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” When Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus responds, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” Jesus is telling us plainly that to understand God, we need only to understand Him.

Now, let's be real. God's thoughts are higher than ours, and we may not always understand His plan. But He isn't shrouding His plan from us in mystery. We know everything we need to know about God's plan by watching Jesus. The real question is, will we be obedient to what Jesus has already shown us about God's plan, or will we stay sidelined, chasing after comfort and safety?

It’s all right there in the Gospels. So, the challenge for us is not about seeking hidden truths but about having the courage and commitment to follow what has already been revealed. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and truly live the life Jesus demonstrated? Knowing God through Jesus means taking action, not saying, “God works in mysterious ways,” and then staying on the sidelines.

WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO ABOUT GOD'S WAYS!

When Jesus encounters the spiritually lost, He invites them in! He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest!"

When He meets outcasts, He eats with them, touches them, and heals them!

When Jesus encountered foreigners, He didn't treat them as outsiders—He praised their faith and welcomed them into the fold!

When Jesus sees widows and orphans, He provides for them, He speaks up for them! He welcomes the little children!

When He encounters the impoverished, He feeds them, teaches them, and blesses them!

When Jesus encounters the downtrodden, His interactions are deeply personal. He restores them, He loves them, He lifts them up, showing a profound care for each individual!

And when He meets the up and out—the rich and powerful—He challenges them, calls them to repentance, And invites them to a new life of generosity and grace!

So, my friends, let's not use the phrase "God works in mysterious ways" to minimize our personal responsibility!

Let's not use "God works in mysterious ways" as a spiritual and emotional pacifier for our personal discomforts!

Let’s take on our responsibility in God’s plan we do know. Let’s confront the problem of evil in this fallen world by alleviating suffering everywhere we go. And when we don’t fully comprehend what God is doing, we continue to seek the lost, serve others, and bring glory to God in everything we do! Amen!

Greg McNichols