Part of God’s Creation

One nice thing about living in a rural area is being able to enjoy God’s creation amidst the vast plains and endless blue sky… Fresh air, lots of sunshine, and abundant serenity. Whether you are hiking, golfing, going to the lake, or just enjoy working outdoors, urban life is far removed. But alas, that which glitters is not always gold. Where did all these mosquitoes, gnats, and oh those dreadful ticks come from? Outdoor activity has been compromised! I swat and I spray, and I don’t understand why God created these pesky bugs.

Everything for a Reason

I’m sure I am not alone when it comes to figuring out how anything “good” can come from mosquitos, ticks or gnats. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding,” Proverbs 3:5. God sees more than we can see. He knows more than we know. Even these annoying insects are part of the wonderful balance which keeps all living things strong, vibrant and sustainable. God works in ways beyond our comprehension (Isaiah 55:8-11). Knowing God’s ways is something we often try to figure out. But isn’t that what we often tend to do? We have to know why. Why, Why, Why! We try to place reason to everything that we encounter. Why did an illness, accident, unemployment or financial problems arise? Why do we have bugs? The answer to our whys may be obvious now, or they may never be answered in our lifetime. But even if we knew why, it’s likely we wouldn’t be satisfied with the answers anyway. We ask God why; believing the answer will provide us with some kind of deep soul satisfaction. But too often, we don’t get the answer we want.

Because God Said So

We look through Scripture and find that God is often asked “Why?”: Moses asked, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant?” Numbers 11:11; David asked, “Oh Lord why do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1; Job asked, “Why have you made me your target?” Job 7:20; The disciples asked, “Why was this man born blind?” John 9:2; Jesus on the cross asked God “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46. In every case, God either answered them directly, reminding them that He was in control, or the person asking the question later recognized it on their own and was able to see how God was working in their suffering and struggles and that God had a bigger plan in place. God’s plan is not always what our heart wants. We want to understand right now why this has happened or why we have biting bugs. Wanting to know the reason for it. We want to know what good will come of it. But Scripture continually reminds us that God is God and we are not. He has a plan that we cannot see. Dear Lord, forgive me for questioning your eternal plan. Lead me to trust in Your goodness and mercy, knowing You have good things in store for my life. Amen.