Jeremiah 11:20: “O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,who tests the heart and the mind…”
What a line concerning the character of the Lord! We would be wise to remember this.
In 12:1-4, Jeremiah lays out a complaint before the Lord. He wants the wicked to be dealt their hand. God replies in a somewhat unexpected way, “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,how will you compete with horses?”
It’s as if God hears his complaint, and says, “Toughen up.” Or, “You think it’s bad now; just wait. It will be worse.”
God often replies to his saints in this way. Habakkuk and Job receive similar answers when they lay out their complaints to the Lord. See, some pastors tell you that you shouldn’t complain to God or have doubts in your prayers. But the Bible is very clear–God can handle it. He can handle it and will even respond most of the time. The problem is you may not like His response.
But He is sovereign, so how can you argue? We’re the clay. He’s the potter.
Omer Redden 