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 Devotional:
June 2008
Why?
It seems
that a lot of people today just aren’t very happy. Even
Christians, which is sad, because Jesus came that we
could have abundant life (John 10:10)! Many Christians
think that we can only be happy when we get to heaven
and we just endure life until then. But that is not
what the Bible teaches! The abundant life He offers is
for now!
But we live
in an imperfect world. Not everything goes the way that
I have planned. Sometimes I ask for sunshine, but
instead the day is filled with rain. At times, I have
questions about life that don’t seem to have any
answers. I’m sure I’m not the first one to wonder why.
Last year we
had our home broken into while we were on the road
ministering. The first thing that went through my mind
was, “Why did God allow this to happen?” After that, we
prayed for divine protection and then our house was
broken into twice more! Why?
My
father-in-law is in a wheelchair. He walked until about
12 years ago. He was living for the Lord, ministering
full-time when he took his final step. He’s still able
to minister, but his physical life is much more
difficult because of these circumstances. I’m sure he’s
wondered what the purpose of this is.
We got the
news this week that a friend of ours in another singing
group has stage four prostate cancer. He is only 45 and
has a wife and 9-year-old daughter. We believe God for
a miraculous healing, but why does he have to go through
this trial to begin with?
Much of life
is filled with questions, but I’m convinced that as long
as we dwell on the “why’s” and “how’s”, we’ll never be
at peace. In our humanness, we want answers. Sometimes
we get them; sometimes we don’t. But when we begin to
love God no matter what (Matt. 22:37); when we praise
Him not for the circumstances, but because He is a good
God and worthy to be praised (Rev. 4:11); when we learn
to be content in any situation (Phil. 4:11; 1 Tim. 6:6),
that’s when we are truly happy. After Job lost all his
children and everything he owned, he said, “…the Lord
gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name
of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)
I don’t know
what you are facing right now. Perhaps it’s a seemingly
insurmountable trial. Maybe it’s everyday life that’s
getting you down. Maybe you asked for sunshine and got
rain. Don’t give up hope. Whatever the situation, let
the cry of your heart be, “BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE
LORD!” It may be that the sun is beginning to poke
through those clouds and your rainbow of promise (Gen.
9:16) is almost here. The same God that made the sun
also makes the rain. We need both; so praise God in the
sunshine and the rain.
Sonya
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