Everyone Needs a Mystery Box by Don McMinn and Lane Jordan Burday
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever (Deuteronomy 29:29).
I received a wonderful message in my inbox from a retired pastor. He wanted to share that as we go through this life, there will be devastating happenings and events that make no sense. How do we handle these? Here is how he processed them:
| When I was a teenager, I heard a sermon on the mystery box. The pastor recommended that throughout life everyone keep an imaginary box into which they place those things that happen in life for which there seems to be no good explanation. Events and issues happen in life that we don’t understand. We ask “why” but never get an answer (though some well-meaning friends will offer their opinions). We pray for answers and reasons, but God is silent. So when a painful, unexplainable event happens, open your mystery box, place the event inside, close the lid, and then stop trying to figure it out. Someday, in Heaven, you will open the box and talk to God. I remember the first thing I put in my box. When I was growing up, my hero was the minister of music at my church. He was a wonderful man and an effective minister. When he was 42 years old (I was 18) he had a stroke and became incapacitated. He recently died, when in his 90’s, so he lived 50 years in a compromised capacity. I have wrestled with God about his illness and subsequent limited lifestyle. I finally opened my mystery box, placed the anger, confusion, and unsolved mystery inside, and shut the lid. I’m now 71 years old and have five things in my box. This is a wonderful, effective way to deal with imponderables. By placing them in the box, we’re not denying or minimizing our pain and confusion. We’re simply acknowledging that there’s no clear answer available in this life, but there will be in the next. When we get to Heaven, we can discuss these issues with God (though I think they will become clear the moment we arrive). One of my favorite Bible passages is Isaiah 55:8-9: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” This is not new or shocking news. Do we actually think that God thinks like we do or is restricted by our limitations? If he did and was, He wouldn’t be God. By the way, we often fumble the ball when responding to other people’s imponderables. We do them and God a disservice when we try to explain something for which there is no explanation. I even resist saying things like, “God will cause this to work out for your good” or, “this will make you stronger.” Either don’t say anything or suggest that they start their own mystery box. Let’s just trust God and his ways in our lives and the lives of other people. By Don McMinn |
I pray this message touches you wherever you hurt. I know I have so many deep places of hurt and pain in the ‘not knowing why.’ But I do know God is on His throne, and He is in control! My response is to walk in faith and trust. One day I will be in Heaven, and all will be well and known.
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Lane Jordan-Burday is the Pearls of Promise Ministries Prayer Co-Coordinator; POP Talk TV and Radio Co-Host and Writer. She is also is an award-winning and best-selling author of over ten adult and children’s books. She is a speaker with Stonecroft Ministries, seminar leader, professional life coach, Bible teacher, and artist. She served as the Associate Producer for the program In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley. She prays for women to come to know the Lord is God!
Lane’s latest book, Evangeline, is a historical fiction based on the book of Esther. You can reach Lane at: lane@lanejordanministries.com. Her website is: www.LaneJordanMinistries.com.