When You Don't Have All the Details
What the Israelites and the Princess Kate Mystery Have in Common
I’ve always been captivated by the Royal family and the history surrounding them. My college degrees are in History, so I love getting into the details and social aspects of royal life. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious like the rest of the world with what is going on with Princess Kate. With very little details, all we know is that she underwent emergency stomach surgery and would not be participating in royal affairs until after Easter. The lack of details and updates the Royal family has provided thus far, sent the world into a big tizzy of conspiracy theories about her physical and mental health, possible divorce, and I even read that she was living in an ice fortress somewhere in Antarctica. Most of the Reels that have been popping up on my feed have been influencers sharing their thoughts on the situation. It’s fascinating how as humans, when we don’t have all the answers or information, we fill it in ourselves with our own opinions, scenarios, or sometimes made-up facts in order to help us cope with not knowing it all. Or we spend hours researching and filling our minds with false news. Unknowingly we are desiring to feed that need for control over situations.
The Princess Kate mystery made me think about the Israelites when Moses went up Mount Sinai to speak with God. Day after day went by and Moses never came back down. Not knowing the details of what Moses was doing or if he was going to ever come back again, the Israelites became impatient and fearful of who would lead them. They started filling in the unknown with their own anxious thoughts and desired to control the situation.
“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Exodus 32:1
The Israelites took matters into their own hands and made a golden calf to worship and make sacrifices to. They danced around and served their fleshly desires for control over what was unknown to them at the time (Where was Moses? Was he coming back? Did he die? Who would help them now?). As much as I want to roll my eyes at the “stiff-necked” people (as God called them), I know I can be included in this group.
When we feel like we can’t hear from God or it looks as though He is not working in our circumstances, we feel abandoned. When we don’t have all the details, we become “stiff-necked” people and fill in the unknown with false truths like God doesn’t care or we turn to temporary worldly things to feed our needs. We create golden calves, worshiping a need for control.
The good news is, we might not know all the answers or details about what is going on in our lives, but God does! By knowing His character and His Word, we can find peace in trusting He is working on our behalf for His glory and our good. We can be patient with expectant hope knowing God’s plans are the best plans, better than our own! (Isaiah 55:8-10). He made a big promise to never leave us, desert us, or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:8)
So, what do we do when we are struggling at the foot of our own mountains and wondering if God will be there for us or if He will provide us with all the details we need?
We cling to Him in…
Prayer!
His Word!
A community of other believers!
He wants us to be devoted to Him despite our circumstances or whether or not we know it all. We show our devotion by turning to Him and trusting in Him. We trust in Him by knowing He is faithful, and His character is trustworthy!
Hold His gaze, friends!
Amber
What I am reading:
Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do As he did by John Mark Comer
Song I have on repeat:
Studies I am working on:
April Study: Full of Wisdom - Book of Proverbs
May Study: Sow + Grow: Sowing God’s Word in Your Heart
June and July Study: Summer Book Club - The 40-Day Feast by Wendy Speake
I hope you can join us! Enter to win a three-month subscription along with amazing prizes ENTER HERE
Yes, this is a good reminder, thank you. As I look up at the mountain in front of me, I find comfort in Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The lord is your keeper…”
Amazing that the maker of heaven and earth is our keeper!!
So good. And sooooo true!