Jesus wanted to wash Peter’s feet. But Peter – one of the twelve original disciples – protested, because he thought it was inappropriate for the Master to take the role of a servant. To this the Son of God replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it, but someday you will.” After additional discussion, Peter allowed Jesus to wash his feet.
Likewise, on my own journey in the faith I face situations which don’t fit my sense of the way God should act. Why am I forced to struggle against the same old temptation? Why does this friend face new hardships so frequently? Why bother to pray when circumstances seem hopeless?
Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t judge me as insincere, is not upset, and doesn’t point to my lack of maturity when I simply don’t get it. He asks only that I submit to His direction, and then promises that someday the reasons will be known. (Whether that will happen in this lifetime, I can’t say.)
I may not be able to figure out why God does what He does. I don’t have to. Sometimes I even protest, which is perfectly fine and puts me in the company of Peter. But just like Peter, the wisest thing is to eventually step back and let Jesus have His way.
I sometimes wish that God’s ways were more logical, more appealing to my sense of myself as a thinking, intelligent being. While there is much my overworked brain strains to understand, I eventually, begrudgingly, accept that God goes beyond what my human mind can fathom. It reminds me of a line from an old John Denver song – “If there’s an answer it’s just that it’s just that way.”