The Withholding God: Embracing His Grace in Times of Desire

In life, there is often that one thing we believe will make us complete. We convince ourselves that if we just had that one thing, everything would be perfect. We might think, "If only I had a more understanding boss," or "If only God would take away this illness," or "If only I had a spouse, or a better spouse," or "If only my kids were more obedient." We find ourselves wondering why God would keep this one thing from us. Does God enjoy withholding the things we desire most? It can be confusing and bewildering when it seems like our good God is keeping something good from us. After all, we believe that God loves us and wants what's best for us.

The good news is that we are not alone in feeling this way. Even the great men and women of faith in the Bible experienced God withholding things from them. Elijah, a powerful prophet, cried out to God, asking Him to get rid of Jezebel, but God did not grant his request (1 Kings 19:1–14). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs of Israel, lived as sojourners in their own land and were not given an inheritance there (Hebrews 11:9; Acts 7:5). Rachel, one of Jacob's wives, remained childless while her sister had four children. And Job, the epitome of suffering, had everything taken away from him, except for his life.

If you feel like God is withholding something from you, take comfort in knowing that every human being has experienced this mysterious withholding. The pages of Scriptures are filled with the tears of believers who have cried out to God, asking why He is holding something back from them.

But why would God withhold good things from us? Even in a perfect world, God intentionally withheld something from Adam and Eve. In the Garden of Eden, God created a beautiful paradise and placed Adam and Eve there. He gave them every tree in the garden for food, except for one - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God intentionally created this tree and withheld it from Adam and Eve. But why? And why did Adam and Eve ultimately desire the fruit of this forbidden tree?

Satan, the crafty serpent, tempted Adam and Eve by focusing their attention on the one thing they couldn't have. He convinced them that God was withholding something good from them, something that would make them truly happy. Satan's strategy hasn't changed. He still tries to deceive us into believing that God is wrong to keep something good from us. He wants us to fixate on the one thing God won't give us, rather than appreciating all the good things He has already given us.

Is it possible that you've fallen into Satan's trap? Are you fixated on the one thing God is withholding from you? Have you allowed the Serpent to convince you that God is ruining your life by not giving you what you desire? Perhaps your life is actually filled with fruitful trees, but you're stuck on the one tree God won't let you have right now.

But here's the truth: when God withholds something we desperately desire, it is actually for our own good. It is very good, just as God declared His creation to be very good (Genesis 1:31). Our minds tend to fixate on the one thing God won't give us, just like my boys fixate on the one toy their brother won't share. But just as God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9), He also gives us something even greater than what we ask for when He withholds something from us. He gives us Himself and His grace.

The truth is, God withholds good things to teach us to treasure Him above every good thing. When He refuses to give us what we plead for, He is actually giving us something greater: Himself and His grace through Jesus Christ. The tree that God withheld in the garden became the doorway for His Son to come and accomplish the most powerful act of grace and love - the cross. Satan convinced Adam and Eve to resent God for commanding them not to eat of the tree, but little did they know that the tree God withheld would become the tree on which we were saved.

We must remember that God is a withholding God, and we should be glad He is. He is not a God who gives us everything we want, but He is a God who gives us what we truly need. He is a God who wants us to rely on Him and find our ultimate satisfaction in Him alone. He withholds good things from us to remind us that He is the source of all good things, and that nothing in this world can compare to Him.

So if you find yourself longing for that one thing, that one tree God won't let you have, remember that it is a doorway for the grace of God through Jesus Christ. It is an opportunity for you to rely fully on His word and His sustaining power in your weakness. It is in those moments of desperate faith and dependence that Jesus is most magnified in our lives. So embrace the withholding God of grace, and trust that He knows what is best for you.