Jesus on the Sidelines

Hello, friends! It has been a while since Mad McG has hit the blog, but, here I am! So many thoughts have been flooding my head for the last few months and so many ideas I have had but… college takes over life sometimes, which is a great problem to have.

Today I am here to talk about this question we have for God that starts with “W” and ends with “hy.”

If you didn’t catch it, the question is “Why?”

For the last five months, I have been on the sidelines of the volleyball court due to an injury. I have sat through multiple doctors visits at many different doctors and have yet to have a clear answer. It has been frustrating, disheartening at times, and also pretty painful. It isn’t a good feeling watching my team practice for Spring ball and not being able to join them on the court, but that isn’t the biggest problem.

The biggest problem arose when I was thinking, “God, why did this have to happen?” Because, out of all times, it had to be during my college volleyball career. Of all bones, it had to be my right wrist. Of all things, it had to be an injury that a doctor who has preformed 25,000+ hand and wrist surgeries had never seen before. But, that does not mean that this is not happening for a reason, and I have realized that my faith must become much bigger than my fears.

Recently, I have found myself just wanting an answer. I have just wanted to know what was going to happen next. I have just wanted God to answer me now. But, friends, let me tell you.

That isn’t how it works.

God has always, is always and will always answer our prayer. Sometimes it is yes, sometimes it is no, and sometimes it is wait. God is right next to me. He is right next to you. He hears our prayers and knows our lives better than we, ourselves, do. I have learned that there is absolutely no reason to ask why, because I know who holds the answer.

Asking why to God is like when we are in pre-school: we ask why 25 times in a row, just because we know we can ask it and we want a real answer, along with wanting to annoy whoever we are talking to. Now that you’re older, though, you realize that there isn’t always an answer at that moment. There isn’t always clarity. There isn’t always a reason why. But, there are so many times when we ask why. There are so many excuses as to why we think we do not deserve, need or want something. How do you think it makes the one who decides our life feel when we ask Him why something is happening?

A wise human in my life by the name of Logan Morrison, told me this last week:

“Who are we to question God? It is selfish to question His plan. God knows what’s up, and He is the only one who knows what’s up, because we don’t understand what He is putting down for us. God doesn’t promise easy, though. He’s going to challenge us harder than others because He know we are not made from the world.”

Who are we to question the plan that the creator of the earth, the lover of our souls and director of our path, has? Questioning Him and falling into a pit of self pity is selfish. Once we go near the edge of this pit, we begin to crumble. We fall into asking “why” about everything. He does not give us daily struggles to make us hate life or make others feel bad for us. He wants to see where our breaking point will be. He tests our true trust in Him. He gives us these challenges so that we are set up to realize that in Him, we are strong. In Him, I can boast in my weakness because I know that where I am weak, He is strong.

 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”                                                                                                                -2 Corinthians 12:9

Just as Logan said, He will not give us easy because He knows what we are made of. We are not made of earthly things, and we should not settle into the earthly mind set. We must know that we are of God, we are made by Him, our path is designed by Him, and He has an answer to the why. He is going to challenge us, whether it be pain, confusion, something not going the way we planned it, or so man other things. Our plan does not always line up with what God has in mind, and we must find comfort in that.

We ask why because we think that there is something better for us. We ask why because we do not trust His plan fully. Having faith in Him does not mean “Ehh, I trusted Him yesterday but I’m kinda not feelin’ it today.” Faith is believing all of the time. Faith is not giving up on Him, and never giving up on yourself. Faith is knowing that there is a plan for your life, and every single day is another page to your story. Everything falls into place and occurs because this is who you are. It will not be easy. Sometimes it will suck. Sometimes it will be painful. We must release our grasp from what we think is important in the world, and know that God is working for our good and His hand is the only thing that we need to hold onto- and never, ever let go. What is important in our mind is not always what is important in the eyes of our Lord and Savior.

You must surrender. You must let go of what you thought you were made of and who you used to be and understand that God wants you to change. The new must come and the old must pass away in order for you to live the life that God has given and intended for you. You must understand that there is a reason He does the things He does, and let go of where you are comfortable. When you are uncomfortable, you are weak, and this is where God is. “He calls us to trust in Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He does not come through.” This is where He grabs you by the right hand and says “We got this, and I will show you why.”

His power is made PERFECT in weakness. Instead of asking why, we should be thanking Him for where we are. We should be praising Him because of who He is and what He has done for us. He is always working behind the scenes. There is never a time when He forgets about us and causes something to take place in our life for no reason.

Instead of letting this question take you over, ask Him “How can I glorify you in my situation, Jesus?” There is nothing that makes God happier than us loving Him. Our praise and worship leaves Him smiling upon us. “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 )

Do not fall into the “self pity pit,” but know that there is a reason for where you are. There is a purpose for everything. Run with endurance the race that has been set before you, because I pinky promise, if God brought you to it, He will carry you through it. Pray about it, and present your requests to God.

He will answer your prayer. It is hard for me to focus on waiting for an answer and understanding that it is not always the same answer I was wanting or planning on. This is when it is so important to trust Him and His answer. He does everything with purpose, intention, and our best interest in mind, and He will do exactly what is best for us even if we do not see that at the time. That is why we have a God who sees absolutely everything… Pretty cool if you ask me.

Instead of thinking you have it all together, know that you do not. You have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow. You have no idea what tests God will give you. You have no idea where you will end up. You have no idea what God is doing in your life right now!!! But, there is absolutely no reason to worry about or dread it, or ask “why” in the midst of it, because we know who holds the future. Your chaos will form you into the man or woman of God that He has designed you to become. Your weakness is one of the most powerful aspects about you. Your disability does not have power over you. Your worst day ever will not last more than 24 hours. Life will not be easy, because what fun is that? There will be challenges, there will be pain, you will not always be comfortable, there will be times when you have to sit on the sidelines and understand that you are weak, yet this is where I have realized who is strong, no matter what.

Do not take a single moment for granted. Do not regret anything. Do not think that your failures define you. You cannot fail with God on your side. You will slip, you will begin to crumble, you will want to ask why, but, you cannot become who you are meant to be without the journey. Be unafraid. Keep the faith and never give up (chiché at all, Mads?). God will never, ever, lose faith in you. Your walk with Him is the most beautiful love story in the whole, wide world. Do not just go through it, grow through it.  Boast in your weakness. You will get an answer, you will always have your constant companion, and you are so, so loved.

Stop asking why and know that there is a reason. Understand that with God, so many unexpected surprises can change your life in an instant because that is how God works. Learn to find a way to glorify God in every situation without questioning what He is doing. He will not do anything to harm you, He simply gives you hope and a future.

 Be thankful for the times you are on the sidelines, because it will make you realize how great the court is.

Why?

Because that, is faith. Thy will be done, Jesus.

Love always,

Mads ❤

Photo credit: Proverbs 31 Ministries