God, Why Is This Happening to Me?

In 1 Corinthians 13:9, 12, I read, “We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete . . . Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us." (CEV)

In his pain and despair, Job asked a lot of legitimate questions: “Why let people go on living in misery? Why give light to those in grief” (Job 3:20 GNT).

The “why” questions are human nature, and we all ask it. I have this misconception that if I understand the reason behind my pain, then it will make the pain easier.

The truth is, I don’t need an explanation; I need strength. I don’t need an explanation; I need a Savior. I don’t need an explanation; I need comfort and support.

But I always want an explanation. I ask: Why did that person walk out of my life? Why did he make a promise to me and then break it? Why did he hurt me? Why did I lose my job? Why did she die? Why did I get sick?

Friends, I’ve been studying the “why” question for years, and here’s my educated answer: I don’t know. And I’m never going to know because I’m not God. And neither are you! We’re just never going to understand some things until we get to heaven. Then it’s all going to become clear.

Only God knows the answer to my “why.” And if I don’t get his answer right off the bat, I might as well stop asking because I’m simply prolonging the pain.

Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is God’s privilege to conceal things” (TLB). God is a God of revelation. He reveals himself through nature, circumstances, and Scripture. The only reason I know anything about God is because he has chosen to reveal himself.

But the Bible says God doesn’t only reveal; God also conceals. And sometimes God intentionally hides his face from me. Why? So I’ll learn to trust him and to live by faith rather than by my feelings.

God doesn’t owe me an explanation for anything. God doesn’t have to check in with me before he does something. God doesn’t have to get my permission before he allows things to happen in life. God is God, and I’m not always going to understand why some things happen.

The Bible says, “We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete . . . Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us” (1 Corinthians 13:9, 12 CEV).

One day, everything will be made clear and will make sense. I’ll be able to say, “So that’s why God allowed that in my life!” Until then, God wants me to trust him.

In summary, I don’t know everything, all I can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later I will see him face to face. Job asked a lot of legitimate questions: “Why let people go on living in misery? Why give light to those in grief”. The “why” questions are human nature. I have this misconception that if I understand the reason, then it will make the pain easier. The truth is, I don’t need an explanation; I need strength, a Savior, comfort and support. I’m never going to know because I’m not God. I’m never going to understand some things until I get to heaven. Then it’s all going to become clear. For only God knows the answer to my “why.” And if I don’t get his answer right off, I might as well stop asking. It is God’s privilege to conceal things. God is a God of revelation. He reveals himself through nature, circumstances, and Scripture. God doesn’t only reveal; God also conceals. And sometimes God intentionally hides his face from me. Why? So I’ll learn to trust him and to live by faith rather than by my feelings. God doesn’t owe me an explanation for anything. God doesn’t have to check in with me before he does something. God doesn’t have to get my permission before he allows things to happen in life. God is God, and I’m not always going to understand why some things happen. One day, everything will be made clear and will make sense. I’ll be able to say, “So that’s why God allowed that in my life!” Until then, God wants me to trust him.

I will never know everything about my future and what I know of God is also not complete. Later I will see him face to face, and then I will understand it. There are times when I can't see or feel God. He does this so that I will learn to trust him and live by faith, rather than by my feelings. Often I think if I understand the reasons for it, it will lessen or make it easier to endure. But there are some things I'll never understand until I'm in heaven. God doesn't owe me an explanation for anything, nor, does he need to check in with me before he does something. God is God, and I will not always understand why some things happen. One day it will become clear. So trust him in the meantime. 

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Don’t Stuff My Pain; Tell God About It

In Lamentations 2:19 I read, “Get up, cry out in the night, even as the night begins. Pour out your heart like water in prayer to the Lord." (NCV)

If I think I’ve had a bad day? Job would understand; he practically had a PhD in pain and loss.

In the very first chapter of Job, everything in his life fell apart. His response? “Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20 GW).

Notice that Job openly expressed his pain to God. When I experience pain, I can tell God exactly how I feel. It should be the first thing I do.

God can handle my anger and frustration. He can handle my emotions. Why? Because he gave them to me. I was made in his image, and he is an emotional God.

I can tell God how I feel. I can say, “I’m mad. I’m upset. I’m frustrated.” God can handle my complaints, questions, fear, and grief. God’s love for me is bigger than all my emotions.

My kids know I love them. They know I have more experience than they have because I’ve been on this planet longer. But my children sometimes question my judgment. Still, I’d rather have an honest, gut-level conversation with them than have them stuff their frustration and disappointment inside.

God is the same way! God would rather I wrestle with him in anger than walk away in detached apathy.

When tragedy strikes, I don’t have to grin and bear it. Instead, I can go to my heavenly Father with my pain. “Get up, cry out in the night, even as the night begins. Pour out your heart like water in prayer to the Lord” (Lamentations 2:19 NCV).

In summary, I can cry and pour my heart like water in prayer to the Lord. If I think I’ve had a bad day, Job would understand. In the very first chapter of Job, everything in his life fell apart. His response? “Job stood up, tore his robe in grief, and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped”. Job openly expressed his pain to God. When I experience pain, I can tell God exactly how I feel. It should be the first thing I do. God can handle my anger and frustration. He can handle my emotions. I was made in his image, and he is an emotional God. I can tell God how I feel. I can say, “I’m mad. I’m upset. I’m frustrated.” God can handle my complaints, questions, fear, and grief. God’s love for me is bigger than all my emotions. God would rather I wrestle with him in anger than walk away in detached apathy. When tragedy strikes, I don’t have to grin and bear it. Instead, I can go to my heavenly Father with my pain. 

In this chapter, the people had much to cry about. Because of their stubborn rebellion against God, they had brought great suffering to all, especially to the innocent. Was this suffering God's fault? No, it was the faith of the wayward people. Sinful people brought destruction on themselves, but tragically, sin's consequences affected everyone, good and evil alike. The people's suffering and sin should have brought them to the Lord, weeping for forgiveness. Only when our prideful, independent hearts are broken over sin can God come to my rescue. Just feeling sorry about experiencing sin's consequences does not bring forgiveness. But if we cry out to God in repentance, he will forgive us.

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Developing Strong Convictions

In Hebrews 11:1 I read, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (NRSV)

Dictionaries define “conviction” as a fixed or strong belief, but conviction is much more than that. In addition to my beliefs, my convictions include my values, commitments, and motivations.

Howard Hendricks put it like this, “A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for.”

My convictions determine my conduct. They motivate me to take a stand and act according to my values.

When I first became a Christian, I often did things simply because Christians around me suggested or modeled them. I may pray, read the Bible, and attend church services because of their example.

This is fine for a new Christian; little children learn the same way. However, as I grow, I must eventually develop my own reasons for doing what I do. Those reasons become convictions.

Biblical convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. Ironically, many people today have strong convictions about minor issues, like football or fashion. At the same time, they have weak convictions about major issues, like what is right and what is wrong.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NRSV).

Developing strong, biblical convictions takes time and commitment. But it’s worth it. In the long run, they’ll help me live a consistent, faith-driven life.

In summary, dictionaries define “conviction” as a fixed or strong belief, but conviction is much more. In addition to my beliefs, my convictions include my values, commitments, and motivations. “A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for.” My convictions determine my conduct. They motivate me to take a stand and act according to my values. I often did things simply because Christians around me suggested or modeled them. However, as I grow, I must eventually develop my own reasons for doing what I do. Those reasons become convictions. Biblical convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. Ironically, many have strong convictions about minor issues. At the same time, they have weak convictions about major issues, like what is right and what is wrong. Biblical faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Developing strong, biblical convictions takes time and commitment. In the long run, they’ll help me live a consistent, faith-driven life.

Faith is the confidence based on past experience that God's new and fresh surprises will surely be ours. Two words describe faith: confidence and assurance. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character. He is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises: He will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen. 

How to Have Uncommon Courage

In Matthew 10:32 I read, “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven." (The Message)

In a world full of ideas and beliefs that go against God’s Word, God wants me to have uncommon courage and stand up for Christ. To do this effectively, I need to develop a Christian worldview.

What is a worldview? It’s the filter through which I see and understand the world. Everyone’s filter is a little bit different. Even when we all are looking at the same event, I may see it differently from those around me because of varying worldviews.

My worldview influences how I see everything, including God, myself, others, the past, the present, the future, money, time, good, and evil. My worldview influences every choice I make. Every time I make a decision, I look at it through my worldview filter and make my choice based on the beliefs that make up my worldview.

It’s crucial, then, that as a follower of Jesus, I base my worldview on the truth of God’s Word.

One national survey found that 62 percent of Americans claim they are “deeply spiritual.” When asked how that spirituality affects their decision making, 31 percent said they make moral choices based on “what feels right and comfortable,” 18 percent on “whatever is best for me,” 14 percent on “whatever causes the least conflict with others,” and only 16 percent on “what God’s Word says.”

What does that mean? It means most Christians have a non-Christian worldview. I may be a Christian and headed for heaven, but I can also have a non-Christian worldview because I’ve based it on what I’ve learned from the world and not from God’s Word.

Having a strong Christian worldview allows me to stand courageously as a believer, to be someone who stands up and speaks truth. Why does that matter so much? Matthew 10:32-33 says, “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?” (The Message)

God expects me, as one of his followers, to stand for his truth. Taking that kind of stand requires an uncommon courage that is only available through a Christian worldview based in the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.

In summary, stand up for Jesus against world opinion and Jesus will stand up for me before my Father in heaven. In a world full of ideas and beliefs that go against God’s Word, God wants me to have uncommon courage and to stand up for Christ. I need to develop a Christian worldview, a filter through which I see and understand the world. Everyone’s filter is a little bit different. Even when we all are looking at the same event, I may see it differently from those around me because of varying worldviews. My worldview influences how I see everything, including God, myself, others, the past, the present, the future, money, time, good, and evil. My worldview influences every choice I make. Every time I make a decision, I look at it through my worldview filter and make my choice based on the beliefs that make up my worldview. It’s crucial that I base my worldview on the truth of God’s Word. Most Christians have a non-Christian worldview, learned from the world and not from God’s Word. Having a strong Christian worldview allows me to stand courageously as a believer, to be someone who stands up and speaks truth. God expects me, as one of his followers, to stand for his truth. Taking that kind of stand requires an uncommon courage that is only available through a Christian worldview based in the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.

Anyone who acknowledges Jesus Christ (that is, publicly professes faith in or declares allegiance to him) will be acknowledged by Christ before his Father in heaven. Jesus' followers would face earthly courts of law where they would have to publicly claim to belong to Jesus Christ, usually at their peril  Genuine discipleship always involves acknowledging Jesus Christ, whether or not we face pressure and persecution.  So, Stand up for Jesus against world opinion and he’ll stand up for me before his Father in heaven. If I turn tail and run, do you think he’ll cover for me?

Father, thank you for Your Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Today, I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in others lives. I pray all these things through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.