To Whom Would I Go?

Often there are things that happen in life, and no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to make sense of them. Trials come. Heartache overwhelms. Tragedies threaten.

Why would God allow someone so young to die?
Why would God let that marriage fail?
Why would God not step in and save her from abuse?
Why would God take that newborn before he has a chance to live?
Why would God leave her lonely year after year?
Why would God not provide a job after searching for months?
Why would God not heal the wound, provide for the need, and fix the problem?

It's times like these when we find ourselves facing a decision. It seems like it would be so easy to just give up. To just stop believing. To walk away from God and look for answers somewhere else.

In John 6, Jesus' disciples had been listening to things Jesus was teaching them, and they were finding it incredibly hard to swallow. They didn't get it. They didn't understand. They didn't believe. People who actually saw Jesus in person and witnessed His miracles...even those people had their doubts. They found themselves facing a decision. And John tells us their response: At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

This was a breaking point for a lot of people, and there will come a point in all of our lives when we, too, will have to make a choice. John continues: Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

What will you do? Will you abandon Him, too? Will you stop believing? Stop trusting? Will you give up and walk away because it hurts too much and you just can't make sense of it? You don't understand, so God can't possibly be in control, right? So you give up and try to find some other solution.

I just love the way Peter responds to Jesus' question though: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God."

For Peter, there's no other alternative. There's no other answer. There's no other solution. Jesus is the source of life and the reason to persevere, and Peter's only viable response is to follow Jesus' lead even if it doesn't always make sense.

Personally, I've found that when I'm facing those walls of bewilderment and frustration and confusion, the only time I find peace is when I come to the same conclusion that Peter does. There's a moment of surrender when you lay it at Jesus' feet. Lord, to whom would I go...if  not to You? There comes a point when you have to believe that He is Who He says He is and trust Him. Trust that He is bigger and wiser and more powerful than anything you might be facing. He's in control, and He has your best interests at heart. It's in that moment when peace breaks through all the things I don't understand, and somehow I know it's going to be ok.