making sense of "this doesn't make sense"

            

Often life throws us twist and turns that make no sense to us. Situations arise and people treat us in ways we just can't figure out. Sense-making is as basic to human nature as breathing is to our body. Because its so ingrained in our nature it is fundamental to the carnal mind, which strives to make sense of ourself and the world around us through the lenses of self gratification.

This leaves us with two problems. The first is that the only "data" we have for sense-making is what we visibly see, hear, touch, and smell. Circumstantial evidence is the basis for the carnal mind's activities called understanding. The second issue is that the lenses (perceptors) we use are dysfunctional. At a minimum our perceptions are filtered and biased. Moreover, our distortions of the circumstance are different than everyone else's. Thus, sense-making via the carnal mind when the world is not treating us as we would like leaves us frustrated, fearful, disappointed, shameful, unworthy, depressed, etc.

However, those whose life has been transformed by the Cross can make sense of themselves and the world around them via a Kingdom mind. Remember, the Kingdom mind understands through the lenses of faith. That is, the Kingdom mind trusts that God is active in our lives and that the evidence of what is really happening is what He says about us and Himself. Paul says it this way, "we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal." (II Corinthians 4)

What does this look like in practice? When someone attacks us and won't explain, when situations work against our wishes and we have "done everything right," when we trust someone deeply and they trash our heart, and so on ... what should be our response. The Kingdom mind informs us that God cares about us (I Peter 5), He is working out all things for good (Romans 8), He is working in us both to will and do for HIS good pleasure (Philippians 2), and so forth. A good question to ask ourself when we are experiencing such headwinds in life is, "what does God really want for us? how does He view our well-being?"

The answer is sobering. We desire to be in control, self-sufficient, and demand our rights - God's will is that we rest in Him, depend on Him, trust in His provision and see all of this as our privilege. The truth is God is all powerful, He is having His way with us because He loves us, and no matter what it looks like, its for our good!! In this we can understand all circumstances in our life and we do not ever have to angst over the feeling "this doesn't make sense!"

certainly worth pondering ........