Why: A Loaded Question

Cancer.

Divorce.

Broken Promises.

Addiction.

Life long illnesses.

Abuse.

Death.

Hopelessness....

Why? 

We all ask ourselves why, when we hear of these thing, or they happen to us. 

Why?

Have you ever noticed it's a loaded question? We ask it with a set of preconceived notions, thoughts, ideas, desired outcomes. We, before even asking it, have set a certain type of answer as THE answer we'll accept. All other answers won't do. All other answers make us angry, hurt, confused, lost, makes the grief seem bigger.

Yet, when we limit the answers, we stand a strong chance of missing the best answer. HIS best answer for us. Oh, I can hear you now, "How is cancer what's BEST?" "How is my child's death, what's BEST?" "How is abuse the BEST?" I can understand these questions. Honestly, I can't fully answer them. Only God can, if He chooses so, answer those for you. 

When I faced my own "Why?" my answer back wasn't what I was looking for. Because I wanted my son back, nothing less would satisfy me. Through time, and continuing to ask questions, He brought me to a realization that bringing my son back wouldn't be the best, for him, for me, for our family. God's plan was BETTER without Michael in our lives, than what I had dared to dream, with Michael in it. To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how to process that thought. It doesn't seem logical, does it?

James 1:2-4

² Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Perfect result. Yes...He says that. 

Romans 8:28-39

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ³³ Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; ³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reading all of that together makes my mind bend under the weight of trying to understand it and how it relates to me. He has brought me to this life, for His purpose. He's called me, justified me, and glorified me. Everything that life can throw at me, cannot separate me from Him, or His love. My doubts, my anger, my lack of understanding...nothing. 

God is the giver of every good and perfect thing from above (James 1:17). 

God works all things to our good. (Romans 8:28)
The testing of our faith produces endurance (James 1:3)

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