Have you ever looked at a broken piece of your life and wondered, “God, what are you doing?” Maybe it’s a sudden job loss, a painful fracture in a relationship, or a season where every single door seems to be slamming shut in your face. In our human nature, our immediate instinct is to look for answers. We analyze, we over-think, we research, and we demand to know the why, the how, and the when.
But in our pursuit of trying to figure everything out, we often trade our peace for anxiety. In our recent Sunday service, we kicked off our month of wisdom by looking at a powerful truth: True wisdom isn’t about having all the answers. Wisdom is knowing how to remain quiet and trust God when you don't understand. To learn how to do this, we look at the life of a young woman who carried the ultimate weight of the unknown—Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The Trap of "A Little Knowledge"
As humans, we love to feel smart. The moment our minds grasp a tiny bit of information, pride creeps in. If we learn a few chords on an instrument, we suddenly feel like a master songwriter. If we catch a few deep revelations from scripture, we want to instantly set up a school and become a rabbi. But a little bit of understanding can be a dangerous thing if it leads to a loud mouth. The Holy Spirit wants to build a different kind of maturity in us—the fear of the Lord, which leads to true, steady understanding. When you don’t know, it is okay to admit you don't know. When you don't understand a situation, don't force it. Let it rest.
3 Moments Mary Chose Reflection Over Reaction
The Bible calls Mary highly favored, blessed, and a true servant of the Lord. Yet, her life was an absolute rollercoaster of confusing, scientifically impossible, and stressful situations. How did she navigate it? She treasured things in her heart. Let’s look at three specific moments where Mary modeled true wisdom for us:
1. When God Closed All the Doors (Luke 2)
Mary was carrying the literal Son of God. If anyone deserved a "grand entry" or a luxury suite, it was her. Yet, when it came time to give birth, every inn was closed. There was no room for them. She had to place the Savior of the world in a feeding trough. Mary had every right to look at heaven and scream, "Why?" But she didn't demand a research paper from God about why the doors were shut. She quietly trusted the plan.
2. When She Was Met with Confusion (Luke 2:41-51)
When Jesus was 12 years old, He went missing for three days in Jerusalem. Any parent knows the sheer terror and anxiety Mary felt. When they finally found Him in the temple courts, Mary asked Him why He had treated them that way. Jesus answered with words that must have been incredibly difficult to hear: “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” The scriptures tell us that Mary and Joseph did not understand what He was saying. But notice Mary's reaction: She didn't argue. She didn't lash out. She treasured all these things in her heart.
3. When the Answer Sounded Direct (John 2)
At the wedding of Cana, when the wine ran out, Mary turned to Jesus for help. His response sounded sharp: “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.” Mary didn't get offended or walk away. Instead, she quietly turned to the servants and said, “Do whatever he tells you.” She didn't need to understand His timeline to trust His power.
How to Live Out "Mary’s Wisdom" This Week
"Wisdom is this: When you don't know things, it is to remain quiet and keep it in your heart."
If you are walking through a season of brokenness or confusion right now, take these three takeaways to heart:
Stop Over-Researching Your Pain: Stop staying up until midnight trying to figure out if your trial is from God, from a demon, or your own fault. You don’t need to get to the bottom of everything to experience God's peace.
Guard Your Mouth: When things go wrong, or when someone else gets a promotion and you get left behind, don't run your mouth with complaints or comparisons. Keep your questions close to your heart and take them only to God in prayer.
Trust the Timeline: Mary didn't understand everything at the manger, or at the temple, or even at the cross. But when Jesus resurrected, everything made sense.Trust that your clarity is coming, even if it's further down the road.
A Prophetic Word for Our Church Family
We believe that God is doing something beautiful out of broken things in this house! We are declaring by faith that the month of June is going to bring a season of breakthrough, good news, and a celebration of new beginnings—including weddings and open doors—for our community.
If you don't understand how it's going to happen yet, that's okay. Keep it in your heart, remain quiet, and watch God move!
