We know that for those who love God

all things work together for good.  

Romans 8:28 (1)

When I was a kid I loved word problems in Arithmetic, writing proofs for theorems in Geometry, and solving complex algebraic equations.  I was one of those students the rest of the class math hated.  Usually I could look at a problem and know the answer immediately.

This gift, which I have since lost, helped me see the world from an analytical cause and effect mindset.  Everything could be explained.

In college I studied bio-genetics and neuropsychology as I moved away from the mathematical world to an interest in discovering the cause of human behaviors.  I was convinced that with good science and solid philosophical logic, I could explain human behavior and interactions.

When I entered seminary and began to seriously study biblical theology I was convinced that as a pastor I would be able to explain the ways of God in our lives.

Except for numbers adding up, I must confess I have yet to unravel the cause and effect of human behavior and how God works.

For someone who wants to understand how and why, I finally had to confront the reality that neither behavior (God’s or man’s) nor the operational mechanics of the universe will all fit into a neat and tidy formula.

Once I realized that the human mind is not capable of figuring out all the ways of man, God, and the physical world, it was easier and more satisfying to be a man of faith.

Though unexplainable, God is part of the equation of life.  I have seen His hand and felt His presence too many times to deny Him.  I can never let go of this reality, even though there is much I cannot explain about God.

This faith has brought me great peace and joy.

I have learned to accept and to be thankful for His unexplainable behaviors.

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1. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Romans 8:28.