姐姐十幾歲的女兒身體出了狀況，令我十分擔憂。因此當我聽說有一種自然療法很有效，就想讓她試試。但根據她的病史，我姐姐認為這可能有副作用。我想反駁，但只能忍住，畢竟無論我多麼關心外甥女，都必須尊重她母親的決定。

後來，一位醫生告訴我們：「那種自然療法會引起強烈的過敏反應。」關於外甥女的健康，她母親確實知道，什麼對她才是最好的，而這是我絕對比不上的。

每當我為至親好友憂愁煩惱，祈求上帝以我所期望的方式幫助他們時，我就會想起這件事。這提醒我，上帝比我更愛他們、更瞭解他們，也知道什麼對他們才是最好的。

在以賽亞書55章9節，上帝說：「天怎樣高過地，照樣，我的道路高過你們的道路。」這翻譯為道路的希伯來文（derek）可以指上帝的道德行為和作為，或惡人的行徑。兩者形成鮮明對比。上帝的公義和智慧的道路遠遠高過我們。也許我們並不希望至親好友會面對某些情況，但我們相信上帝會讓萬事互相效力，讓他們得到最大的益處。

讓我們繼續將至親好友交給上帝，將我們「所要的告訴上帝」（腓立比書4章6節）。唯有祂具備完美的慈愛、憐憫、智慧，並具有絕對的主權（以賽亞書55章3、7-11節）。

Anxious about a health issue my teenage niece had, I was relieved when I heard of a promising natural remedy. My sister, however, felt it might cause side effects, based on her daughter’s medical history. I wanted to argue but refrained. No matter how concerned I was about my niece, I had to defer to her mom’s authority.

Later, a doctor told us, “That natural remedy would’ve caused a strong allergic reaction.” When it comes to my niece’s welfare, her mom truly knows what’s best for her—in ways that I don’t.   

I remember this incident when I’m anxious about other loved ones, asking God to help them the way I think they should be helped. I remember that God, who loves them and knows them far better than I do, knows best.

In Isaiah 55:9, God says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” The Hebrew word here for ways (derek) refers to the moral actions and behavior of God contrasted with that of wicked people. God’s wisdom and righteous ways are far above ours. What happens in a loved one’s life may not be what we want, but we can trust Him to work in their lives as He sees best.

Let’s keep entrusting those we love to God by presenting “[our] requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). He alone is perfect in love, mercy, wisdom, and sovereignty (Isaiah 55:3, 7-11).