when God doesn't give you what you want...or tells you no...
Why can't those who want a baby, the ones who continuously pray for a baby, never have one, yet those who see them as nothing but mistakes and burdens have no trouble conceiving?
Why are those women, the ones who have diligently prayed day in and day out for a husband, still single while those who recklessly ran through relationship after relationship are happily married?
Why are those who took excellent care of their body, who honored their body and made good, healthy choices, the ones diagnosed with terminal illness while those who destroyed their body never spend a day in the hospital?
Why does the young parent, the one who loves their children so desperately and takes care of them so well, die in a tragic accident while the parent who abuses and neglects their child lives to see them grow up?
Why does the young bride, the one who really thought she chose the right man to spend her life with, the one who prayed for and over her marriage, the one being served divorce papers while the girl who has been harsh and unfaithful to her husband continues on in marriage?
Why do the parents, the ones who invested so much time, energy, and effort, the ones who poured out love, the ones who correctly disciplined their children, watch their only child lead a life filled with turmoil and bad decisions while the parents who never paid attention to their child see their son or daughter grow up to be a successful, giving person?
Why does the one who worked so hard in college, who did every internship possible, who never failed a test, and who studied with all their might, continue down the road of unemployment while the one who coasted through college and barely passed climbs the corporate ladder at record speed?
Why do pastors sit in prison while criminals walk free?
Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous are oppressed?
Why is evil celebrated but truth reprimanded?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why doesn't God simply work in the way that seems fair?
Why?
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
I stood in line at Chick-fil-A on Thursday afternoon, and God reminded me why. That sometimes the "why's" come because God has a different plan. And through the "why's," He is teaching you. He is drawing you closer to Him. He is working and moving in ways that you can't see... yet. It's not because He doesn't love you. It's not because you did something wrong or because He is mad at you. It's because life on this side of Heaven will never be perfect. People will make mistakes, brokenness will come, and disappointment is inevitable.
Yet His ways are higher. His thoughts are higher. He sees the bigger picture when we only see in part. He truly knows what is best, even when, from human standards, it quite possibly seems like the worst. Sometimes there is no explanation. Sometimes it doesn't add up. But the end prize is Jesus, and if that's what we're really living for, then we lay down our "why's" and we accept His sovereignty. We say, "Lord, you know full well this isn't what I want. And, to be honest with you, I don't understand this. It doesn't seem fair. But I'm choosing to trust that you'll redeem it. I'm choosing to believe that you'll use it. Because I just don't get it. I just don't like it. And so I am asking that you use my disappointment to draw me closer to you. That you'll keep reminding me of your love and goodness. That you'll show me mercy and grace when I feel like I can't possibly deal with this anymore. And that you'll fill me with your comfort and peace so that I can move forward and not lose sight of you."
From a fellow "why ask-er" to another, I know it's not fair. I know it's not what you planned. I know you never, in a thousand years, expected to end up here. And I know it hurts, it hurts a lot. But I know that wounds can heal and that pain can be relieved. I know that Jesus really is enough and this His grace is sufficient for whatever it is you're going through. Sure, it's dark. It's heavy and burdensome, and sometimes you feel alone. But you, child of God, you are going to be okay. Why? Because God cares about you. He sees you. He hears you. And He is for you. He is mighty to save, and sometimes that means saving us from the depression and disappointment in life. Sometimes, that means saving us on the other side of Heaven. But God always has a way. Probably a different way, but a way.
Why? I don't know why. Everyone, at some point, asks. It's okay to ask. It's okay to wonder. It's okay to grieve and to vent and to get it all out. We may never really know why, and sometimes we might. But at the end of the day, at the end of the disappointment, we find Jesus. Our comforter, our healer, our Savior. And if there can be a beauty in the "why," it's knowing that He will walk us through it. One way or another, we'll come out on the other side. It'll take time, and who knows what the end result will look like. But if we stick close to Jesus, we'll find that He'll weave joy into our journey as He leads us forward into new days.
"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." - Ephesians 3:17-19
Why are those women, the ones who have diligently prayed day in and day out for a husband, still single while those who recklessly ran through relationship after relationship are happily married?
Why are those who took excellent care of their body, who honored their body and made good, healthy choices, the ones diagnosed with terminal illness while those who destroyed their body never spend a day in the hospital?
Why does the young parent, the one who loves their children so desperately and takes care of them so well, die in a tragic accident while the parent who abuses and neglects their child lives to see them grow up?
Why does the young bride, the one who really thought she chose the right man to spend her life with, the one who prayed for and over her marriage, the one being served divorce papers while the girl who has been harsh and unfaithful to her husband continues on in marriage?
Why do the parents, the ones who invested so much time, energy, and effort, the ones who poured out love, the ones who correctly disciplined their children, watch their only child lead a life filled with turmoil and bad decisions while the parents who never paid attention to their child see their son or daughter grow up to be a successful, giving person?
Why does the one who worked so hard in college, who did every internship possible, who never failed a test, and who studied with all their might, continue down the road of unemployment while the one who coasted through college and barely passed climbs the corporate ladder at record speed?
Why do pastors sit in prison while criminals walk free?
Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous are oppressed?
Why is evil celebrated but truth reprimanded?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why doesn't God simply work in the way that seems fair?
Why?
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
I stood in line at Chick-fil-A on Thursday afternoon, and God reminded me why. That sometimes the "why's" come because God has a different plan. And through the "why's," He is teaching you. He is drawing you closer to Him. He is working and moving in ways that you can't see... yet. It's not because He doesn't love you. It's not because you did something wrong or because He is mad at you. It's because life on this side of Heaven will never be perfect. People will make mistakes, brokenness will come, and disappointment is inevitable.
Yet His ways are higher. His thoughts are higher. He sees the bigger picture when we only see in part. He truly knows what is best, even when, from human standards, it quite possibly seems like the worst. Sometimes there is no explanation. Sometimes it doesn't add up. But the end prize is Jesus, and if that's what we're really living for, then we lay down our "why's" and we accept His sovereignty. We say, "Lord, you know full well this isn't what I want. And, to be honest with you, I don't understand this. It doesn't seem fair. But I'm choosing to trust that you'll redeem it. I'm choosing to believe that you'll use it. Because I just don't get it. I just don't like it. And so I am asking that you use my disappointment to draw me closer to you. That you'll keep reminding me of your love and goodness. That you'll show me mercy and grace when I feel like I can't possibly deal with this anymore. And that you'll fill me with your comfort and peace so that I can move forward and not lose sight of you."
From a fellow "why ask-er" to another, I know it's not fair. I know it's not what you planned. I know you never, in a thousand years, expected to end up here. And I know it hurts, it hurts a lot. But I know that wounds can heal and that pain can be relieved. I know that Jesus really is enough and this His grace is sufficient for whatever it is you're going through. Sure, it's dark. It's heavy and burdensome, and sometimes you feel alone. But you, child of God, you are going to be okay. Why? Because God cares about you. He sees you. He hears you. And He is for you. He is mighty to save, and sometimes that means saving us from the depression and disappointment in life. Sometimes, that means saving us on the other side of Heaven. But God always has a way. Probably a different way, but a way.
Why? I don't know why. Everyone, at some point, asks. It's okay to ask. It's okay to wonder. It's okay to grieve and to vent and to get it all out. We may never really know why, and sometimes we might. But at the end of the day, at the end of the disappointment, we find Jesus. Our comforter, our healer, our Savior. And if there can be a beauty in the "why," it's knowing that He will walk us through it. One way or another, we'll come out on the other side. It'll take time, and who knows what the end result will look like. But if we stick close to Jesus, we'll find that He'll weave joy into our journey as He leads us forward into new days.
"Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." - Ephesians 3:17-19
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