Hedges and Walls (#264 of 365+)

Imagine how down in the dumps someone has to be to write the following words:

“Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has
hedged in?” (Job 3:23). Or as The Message translation says, “What’s the point of life when it doesn’t make sense, when God blocks all the roads to meaning?”

It’s easy to blame God for anything we don’t understand or like about our lives because, after all, he is the supreme all-powerful and all-knowledgeable being of the universe. Nothing can happen without his approval. Right?

“He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains” (Lamentations 3:7). The Message translation says “He shuts me in so I'll never get out, manacles my hands, shackles my feet.”

When we feel cornered by painful or uncomfortable circumstances, or when we’re trapped by our financial limitations or mounting obligations… those are the times when we need to thank the Lord for placing us within those “hedges” and “walls.” Even if nothing makes sense we do know his eternal character. We can trust him completely with every detail of our lives. Who knows, maybe he allowed this to happen so we’d ultimately avoid something even worse that would happen in the future. Whatever his plans are, Joni said hedges and walls can never “shut out our view of the skies.” We can still look up to God and seek his peace in the midst of our circumstances. (That’s exactly what Joni did when she spent a year confined to a hospital bed after her accident).

Lord, I trust you. I know sometimes you allow difficult and challenging situations (like the ones from last night and this morning) to strengthen our faith and to produce character that is pleasing to you. Thank you for always caring about what’s happening in our hearts and minds. Give my entire family your peace that surpasses all understanding as we struggle with many different issues this month. May your kingdom be victorious in every battle! Amen.