Two plus two is four..until it's not

Two Plus Two Is Four… Until It’s Not

By Autumn R. Finklea

Two plus Two is four… until it’s not.

Now before you break out the math book, let me assure you — I have no argument with arithmetic. Numbers don’t lie. But life? Life doesn’t always add up so neatly.

You can check all the boxes: give everything to your marriage, raise your children with love and wisdom, pour yourself into your career — and still find yourself facing disappointment. When the math of life doesn’t add up, confusion sets in. And if we’re honest, we sometimes wonder: Does God see? Does He hear?

When the Equation Breaks Down

About seven years ago, my employer did what big companies often do: they reorganized. The new strategy meant outsourcing some colleagues. To avoid being outsourced, I was offered a role that required long hours and extended travel. It wasn’t a good fit for my family, so I declined — and was outsourced.

Two plus Two wasn’t adding up for me. I was disappointed, but prayerfully I embraced the “new.” That season stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. My critical thinking matured, my faith deepened, and being displaced forced me to grow.

Ten months later, a leader from my former employer asked me to lunch. Over that meal, they offered me a position in a new program the company was launching. What felt like subtraction turned out to be preparation for multiplication.

God’s Arithmetic

Sometimes God allows trials, wilderness seasons, and even pain to draw us near to Him, reveal Himself through us, and prepare us for what’s ahead.

We see this in Joseph’s journey in Genesis. Favored from a young age, Joseph had dreams of leadership. Yet his brothers betrayed him, selling him into slavery. He was falsely accused, imprisoned, and overlooked. By human math, Joseph’s life didn’t add up.

But God was writing a bigger equation. Eventually, Joseph rose to power in Egypt. When famine struck, the very brothers who betrayed him came seeking grain. Joseph forgave them, declaring:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” (Genesis 50:20 NLT)

When Life Doesn’t Add Up

God is a sovereign mathematician. He knows the end from the beginning. He absolutely hears us and sees us. We don’t get to tell Him how to answer our prayers or how to navigate our journey. But like Joseph, when we remain obedient in the thick of it, God will make sure that Two plus Two equals four. He might use subtraction and division to get us there, but we can rest in knowing that He will not withhold any good thing from us.

Reflection Question

Reflect on a time when the math in your life wasn’t adding up. Maybe you are there now.

Journal Prompt: Write down three things you are learning about yourself in the midst of this journey.

Power Verse

Romans 8:28 NLT

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Prayer

God, I admit that I don’t always understand the challenges in my life. Please remove the doubt in my heart that says You don’t hear and see me, and give me courage to believe that You don’t waste anything. Help me to abide in You and to be patient while You do what only You can do on my journey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.