Why does god work in mysterious ways?

Question

What does he/she get out of being all mysterious.

Answer 1

God works in mysterious ways for His own glory. Because He doesn't just come out with everything and tell us exactly who He is, it leads us to seek after Him as He has commanded us to, and to try and learn more about Him.  

Answer 2

The only people that say God works in mysterious ways are those who don't know him, to those who don't understand him.

Its only mysterious to the unlearned.

Answer 3

Actually 'he' doesn't, only people say that.

Edit: there is nothing mysterious to him.

Answer 4

It's just that God alone is God hon

Isa 55:9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  

Answer 5

God doesn't work in mysterious ways, He works in His ways.  It's just that sometimes human beings can understand why He does something, sometimes they can't.

Answer 6

it's what people say when they can't think of any better explanation for god. they can't admit "i don't know what's going on"

Answer 7

God does not give babies Cancer Satan does.

God does not work in mysterious ways, if you study the Bible  it will answer your questions if you ar truly looking  for the truth.

Answer 8

He doesn't.

Answer 9

sometimes God wants to work in mysterious ways so that we can question it. like "was that God's doing or just coincidence?" he's just testing our faith.  

Answer 10

That's why there's FAITH.

Answer 11

I think god is imaginary and "god works in mysterious ways" is a typically theist cop out for why their god doesn't seem to do anything.  But if god is real, his mysterious ways indicate that he's reclusive or wants to keep us confused and ignorant.

Answer 12

Because if Christians claimed that God worked in direct and obvious ways it would be blindingly obvious that He does not exist.

Because things happen that strongly point to the lack of some omnipotent, omnicognizant, all loving deity,  the Christians have to come up with some excuse for why these things happen.

"The Lord Moves In Mysterious Ways, My Daughter."  is a nice answer that seems deep without actually saying anything.  When you actually think about it you realise that it is trite claptrap.

Edit:

God does not give babies cancer, in the same way that leprechauns do not give babies cancer.

Babies get cancer due to the random and unguided workings of the universe.

If we imagine for a moment that a omnpotent, omnicognizant and all loving God existed then that would mean that a baby getting cancer would have to be a result of either God's action or inaction.   Since he is omnicognizant he must know about it, since he is omnipotent he must be able to solve it.  Since he is all loving he must want the baby not to suffer.  So in this imaginary universe innocent babies would not suffer painful deaths from cancer, or any other natural cause.

We can now compare this hypothetical universe against ours.   Since we can see hundreds of innocent babies suffering painful deaths though natural causes we must conclude that our hypothetical God does not actually exist.

Q.E.D.

Christians use the 'mysterious ways' mantra to avoid having to think about this and come to the inevitable conclusion that their God does not exist.

Answer 13

The mysterious part is that God, creator of the universe, all powerful, everywhere at once, used the weakness of human flesh (Jesus) to overcome sin.  Why not just nuke us all and start over?

The answer to that is love.

Answer 14

The saying came about because we are in a period of history where God does not allow "Hollywood" type miracles. They were slowly phased out after the Church was begun in the first century. The purpose of this is for the Church to grow on faith, believing in and following the "invisible" God. It's not what he gets out of it, it's what we get out of it. Thanks for asking.

Answer 15

well, basically that's a really convenient way to brush off the tough questions such as, "Why does God give babies cancer and make children starve to death?"

Answer 16

"What does he/she get out of being all mysterious."

He gets to have people believe he exists even when he actually doesn't.

Answer 17

Surprise birthday parties are always more fun when you don't know about them ahead of time. Gods joy and glory is more meaningful when He keeps some of His plans hidden.  

Answer 18

People just say that as an excuse for not knowing the real reason why something happens.

Answer 19

I'd say it's because He knows more than we do, in the same way my kid doesn't understand why I'm telling her not to stick a bean up her nose or cover her sister's head with a plastic bag.  

God is a level of intelligence we can barely grasp.

Answer 20

Because if they were not mysterious, there would be proof he exists.

Basically, a cop-out. If it cant be understood, then "Goddidit". If it can be understood, then it's the work of the devil, or man.

If we don't understand it, it must be the work of God. Our understanding isn't incomplete, its the work of some mystic being.