Why?

The Question We All Ask 

Why? Why me? Why not me? Why her? Why him? Why now? Why not now? We have all asked God the one question: why? Why do bad things happen to good people? 

I know I have. When the hurt of my parent’s divorce was too much, I would ask why. When my daughter got diagnosed with epilepsy I asked why. I know when parents lose children why is a question they have too. When we face loss or hardship “why” is the most often asked question. A close second would be, “if only”. 

Questioning God is okay. 

The Psalmist David did it and God called him a man after His own heart. We just can’t stay in that place of questioning. 

My pastor brought this subject up in our Wednesday night Bible Study and I want to share some of the things that were said, and some things I heard in my spirit when we were discussing this age old question “why?”. 

Psalm 13 For the music leader: a song of David.(CEB) 

1 How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I be left to my own wits, agony filling my heart? Daily? 2 How long will my enemy keep defeating me? 3 Look at me! Answer me, Lord my God! Restore sight to my eyes! 4 Otherwise, I’ll sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I won!” My foes will rejoice over my downfall. 5 But I have trusted in your faithful love. My heart will rejoice in your salvation. 6 Yes, I will sing to the Lord because he has been good to me. 

Sometimes when I read this passage or ones like it I wonder; was this man bipolar? He goes from despair to rejoicing so quickly, but then again don’t we all do this, just in the opposite order? I know I have gone from happy and rejoicing to despair in no time flat before. It doesn't mean I am bipolar, it means I am human. 

The Psalmist has it right here. 

We can question, (like he does in the first two verses) and we can petition (as he does in the second two verses) and then we need to remember how well taken care of by our Father we really are. We need to recall all the things He has done and rejoice in those things. 

First, we overcome by the blood of Jesus and the word of our testimony. Secondly, when we pray in faith, believing, then we ask and we receive. The answer is on the way, just believe. 

What if the answer is no? 

What then? You Stand. No one knows better than Jesus what it is like to hear “no” to a prayer. 

In the garden, before the soldiers came, Jesus prayed. With so much fervor that he bled drops of blood. He prayed this: Let there be another way to save the world, “Let this cup pass” from me. Thank God the Father said no! In saying no to Jesus God said yes to all of us! In that one “No” He made a way for salvation, healing and victory for everyone: through Jesus. 

God told Moses no when Moses asked permission to cross into the Promise Land. This is what God said: “…and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.”

Sometimes, the answer is no. 

That is just the way it is. 

Being a Christian is not a solution to all your problems. We don’t have a wand to wave over our issues and they magically disappear just because we asked God for something. Trust in the Lord: voluntarily, not begrudgingly, faithfully, not here a little and there a little. 

It’s Raining NOW! 

So when trouble comes, and it will, (it rains on the just and the unjust) remember that our victory is in what Jesus did, not in whether or not we feel better after a prayer. 

Our victory is not in the immediate relief of our pain, but in the fact that we can petition God ourselves and no longer need intermediaries. 

Our victory is in the fact that Jesus already defeated Satan and all we have is a little time on this earth, and all our problems will go away and we will stand in heaven before the throne of God worshiping Him and reveling in His mercy and goodness. 

The Psalmist David did not have his answer yet. But he knew the answer was on the way. He began rejoicing, because he knew that despite what he faced in that moment, God was faithful. God had always answered before, and he trusted that the answer was on the way. 

Be Courageous. Ask why, but don’t forget to trust. God grants peace in the storm. 

Join the Conversation:  

Have you ever asked why before? Can you tell us about it? Leave a comment below. 

Living with an Attitude of Gratitude

There is a Reason You are Here! 

God has splendid plans for us, plans full of hope and a future that goes beyond tomorrow, it goes on for generations. 

So many of us become trapped by our circumstances that we become bogged down by doubt and we miss out on what that something is. 

Do Not Miss Out! 

It may be because you are hung up on a lie that you were told as a child- “You’re not good enough” or maybe because you don’t have all the physical advantages someone else may have, like money or good looks, or maybe because you feel like time is running out for you because you are getting too old to be doing those amazing things that you have always dreamed of, and now think it is too late for...

Whatever it is that is holding you back it is never too big for our Father. 

Look At David

David was the youngest kid in his family, always stuck with the stinky jobs like looking after the sheep, and being a messenger for his dad, hauling water and food to the battle field for his brothers to have and then being mocked when he wanted to fight for God against Goliath and the Philistines. He was young, he was small, and he was not what people thought of as ‘king” material, but God had a plan for David! God has a plan for you too. Do not doubt it.  

From a shepherd boy to a king, David was a delight to God because no matter what was going on in David’s life, he was humble and grateful. God says David was a man after his own heart. David wasn’t perfect, but he was quick to repent and always thankful for all God had done. 


As he grew as a king, God’s favor was on him and stability came to the land. David began to realize that God had prospered him with houses and wives and children and all he could desire, but while David and his family lived in a wonderful house, God (the Arc of the Covenant) dwelled in a tent.  

God Has A Sense of Humor! 

If you ever doubt our Father has a sense of humor, don’t doubt it anymore. You can hear God chuckle at David in this passage: much like we giggle at our children when they are being cute.

2 Samuel 7 (The Message)4-7 But that night, the word of God came to Nathan saying, "Go and tell my servant David: This is God's word on the matter: You're going to build a 'house' for me to live in? Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt until now. All that time I've moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'

God goes on to tell David that His true house will be established through David, and through the generations God will bear a son from David’s line that will seal both His love and David’s line forever. That son was Jesus. When the prophet Nathan told David all God had said this is what happened next:

18-21 King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: "Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master God! What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am. You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are—out of your very heart!—but you've let me in on it.

Can you see it? 

David was humble and he was thankful. He was excited and he did not doubt. He knew that God’s word was established and David was tickled pink to be let in on the secret plans God had for his family and his descendants. (We have talked about the secret things of God before. For that click here)

Having an attitude of gratitude is important. In the little and the small things acknowledge God and He will direct us. Do not let the chance to give God the glory pass by you. When we are thankful we are humble, and when we are humble, we are usable. Now we just have to get out of God’s way and obey, but that will be tomorrow’s blog.

Be blessed and be a blessing and remember thank is a verb. 
What are you thankful for?