Flipping The Script | Northstar Church

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9.

The Christian life is a wonderful life, but it is not without trouble. Things go wrong. Plans fail. Sometimes the script we have for our life is flipped. Tragedy strikes. The unthinkable happens. Some days faith wanes, and we wonder where God is and why He is not helping us with the script of our life. John the Baptist had some of the same questions.

John the Baptist was a great preacher, bold and courageous. He challenged King Herod. Can you imagine telling the King he’s living in sin and that he’s not right with God? If you did that, you can expect to land in prison. And that is exactly what happened. John the Baptist lived his entire life in God’s will, and now he’s spending his final days in prison. And things don’t get better. The script does not change for the better. John is not rescued from prison. No angel releases him like Peter in Acts. No earthquake frees him like Paul and Silas. No, he’s going to die in this prison…he’ll be beheaded at the hands of Herod.

All believers have doubts, and the doubts come when you’re a prisoner of your troubles. And you’ve thought: Lord, what gives? I’ve done all I know to do…I’ve tried to be faithful: I’ve served you; I’ve tithed. I know I’m not perfect Lord, but at least I’m trying. Why God are you flipping the script?

John had doubts because Jesus had not lived up to the pre-conceived notion in John’s mind of what He should be and what He should do. John had formed a mold in his mind that Jesus should fit into and when Jesus didn’t fit it, John developed doubts. John didn’t have the big picture. We don’t either and that is where faith comes in.

Having trouble? In a prison? Wondering what happened to the script? When you don’t know the why, trust the Who. The who is the Son of God who died a horrible death so that we can have life. God is still on the throne. He is in control and will accomplish His good will in His time via His script.

Discussion Questions:

What does it mean to stop asking why and focusing on the who?
What can we do this week to focus on the who rather than the why?