You Don't Need to Understand

“What I am doing, you do not understand now.” // John 13:7

For so long, I grappled with my season of life. It was a painful season, a seemingly barren season, a season of weak faith in which I went through the motions with a distant, desolate heart. Even years later, I couldn’t quite understand the “why” behind it.

Yet gently, gradually, and oh-so-patiently, the Lord showed me that I didn’t have to fully understand why, or try to extract some “lesson learned” for Him to bring about real resurrection and healing in my life. I simply needed a relationship with Him.

In today’s Gospel, Saint Peter—dear, impulsive Peter—grappled in a similar way at the Last Supper.

He puzzled over Christ’s actions and argued from one extreme to another when he could not understand the reason behind Our Lord’s ways.

Yet Christ approached Peter anyway, heart brimming with emotion at His looming Passion and death. The God of the Universe bent low before Peter, foreshadowing His ultimate gift of self on the Cross. He took Peter’s soiled, worn feet in His hands, and—despite Peter’s protests—continued to tenderly wash his feet, patiently explaining that Peter didn't need to fully understand the why.

Even if Peter had received all the understanding he craved, it still wouldn’t have given him the grace to follow where Christ was leading.

The Lord didn’t need Peter’s perfect understanding to call Him as a disciple, invite him into mission, or for Peter to receive His inexhaustible love. He didn’t need Peter’s understanding or perfection to make Peter the rock, the foundation, of the everlasting Church.

The Lord only desired a relationship with him.

The Lord only desires a relationship with you.

You don’t need to understand God’s ways for Him to love you, guide you, call you, heal you—or feed you with Himself.

It is enough to let the King of the Universe lovingly take your feet in His hands and call you His. It is enough to then step out in wholehearted faith and follow His example.

Today, ask the Lord for the grace to understand only as much as He desires—and relinquish the rest to Him.

Relinquish the rest to Him. // Megan HjelmstadClick to tweet

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