It seems Jesus had a default approach to dealing with people. Call it involvement and engagement. Call it responsibility and initiative. Call it empowerment. Whatever it was, the way Jesus dealt with people was always to get them to join in.
Why would a person with all authority, omnipotence, and omniscience go around telling people “It takes your faith” or “I will if you believe” Why would he ask, “What do you want?” Why would he say, “You won’t receive unless you ask”? Couldn’t he make things happened regardless?
We certainly do have illustrations of things just happening in nature. I have three apple trees in my backyard that I can receive from year after year. All I have to do is wait for the proper season. It seems that is the exception though. God’s standard design is the combination of the miraculous springing from initiative. Like a harvest coming from planting. Something is sown—whether a seed, a talent, or a word—and something is reaped.
If the solution to the problem hasn’t surfaced, perhaps it is because you haven’t joined him in the process. If the opportunity hasn’t presented itself, perhaps it’s because you haven’t knocked. If the response hasn’t come, perhaps you haven’t asked. Things happen because people join in the miraculous.
And sometimes Chad, we can join Him and wait we must. For not every answer will be instant. Not every tear gets dried as its shed. Not every wrong gets corrected. Not every problem gets resolved. There are times when, in our lifetime, the purpose will not be revealed. Still we must say, It is well for we know the plans He does have and those plans are always for good.
I do not disagree. That’s why I placed “perhaps” in there as a qualifier. You’re speaking of the side of the coin which we don’t have control. I wrote regarding the side which we do have control.