Why?

The prophet Jeremiah asked a very important question - why?
 
If you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things happened to me?’ Because of the magnitude of your iniquity, your skirts have been removed, and your heels have been exposed.
-Jeremiah 13:22 KJV
 
  The ‘Why?’ of life is perhaps life’s most difficult question. When we experience crushing blows, often we scrutinize our actions/lives to derive a reason or a purpose for the painful thing or situation we have encountered. Searching for the reason for pain is common to all humanity--both saints and sinners. The ‘Why?’ of life, or the need to know or the desire to know ‘Why?’ is built into our core belief system.  
 Interestingly, the ‘Why?’ of life, or the need or desire to know ‘Why?’, applies when something bad happens and when we experience something good! I repeat, it is natural for us to attempt to determine the reason for anything good or bad that happens. However, what is just as interesting is that the ‘Why?’ of life, or the need or desire to know ‘Why?’ is many more times intense when bad things happen to us! And oftentimes…the pain is overwhelming!   
 But…why is that? Because humanity was created ‘good’ (Gen1:31) and within that ‘good’ exists the assumption that something good will happen to us or for us. Therefore, when that ‘good ‘is not present—it becomes natural to want to know why! Therefore, this tidbit will focus on the theology of ‘Why?’ bad things happen. 
  There are at least four primary reasons for asking ‘Why?’ bad things happen: 
           1.Experiencing good is natural, i.e.how God made mankind
            (Gen1:31)
          2.Pain is not natural, it is NOT how God made mankind
          3.Therefore, bad must have a reason, because it is not natural
          4.We must find the reason to alleviate the pain.
 
  Theologically, God must be absolute in His nature. Because God is good, He must be absolutely good and therefore must also do good (Ps119:68). So, mankind must experience God’s goodness because God created all things—including man---according to His absolutely good nature. Therefore, because goodness must possess an action(Ps119:68), mankind must experience God’s goodness—which by default must exclude evil, and the pain that comes from evil.
    So, how do theologians attempt to explain evil, i.e. the experiences and the subsequent pain that mankind now experiences in the many and various facets of this life? Of course, the only answer should be man’s rebellion against God, which is called sin. However, the status quo, ‘Theologically Correct’ response to “why am I experiencing this evil, (i.e. bad thing, i.e. pain)?” is: “God is sovereign.” Of course, what is meant by this answer is: “God is in control” or “You never know what God is going to do!” Or, “God can do anything He wants because He’s God—therefore we should just accept the evil (pain) now being experienced!” And so on!
  I have too often found many Christians use the ‘God is sovereign’ answer to cover up their ignorance of God, and His Word. In my opinion, the ‘God is sovereign’ line has become a quick ‘religious’ substitute. Interestingly, it is most often used by someone too prideful to acknowledge their lack of understanding by honestly stating the dreaded phrase: “I don’t know.” 
  On the other hand, however, while it is true that ‘God is sovereign’, is that to be interpreted to mean that the omniscient God does not want us to know the answers to our most difficult questions—especially regarding things like sickness or even the death of a loved one? 
  Moreover, what makes the ‘why’ question ohhhhhhh so much more difficult is that if there is no apparent answer available for a painful situation, either ‘I don’t know’ or ‘God is sovereign’ can be an appropriate response!!! There are definite times in life when God leaves us ONLY with the question: “Why?” Or, “Why me God?” In other words, when bad things happen, God can choose NOT to offer an answer, or not offer an answer until sometimes years later!
  However, what’s dramatically more painful than God leaving us without knowing ‘Why?’ is when the evils of this world are blamed on God! While we can expect non-Christians to behave in this manner, I repeat, it is multiplied times worse for Christians to blame God for evil--which is simply poor theology, and often rebellion--bordering on blasphemy. In my opinion, which I derive from the suffering of Job, is that the internal answer offered to ‘oneself’ when seeking an answer ‘why’ something bad has happened is the number one reason people leave the Christian faith. Over decades of ministry listening to people comment on their lives, I have seen many people depart from their faith in God for an inability to deal with the ‘Why?’ of a tragedy!
  While it’s easy to throw in the towel on God and go our way because of a traumatic, and so often unbearable experience, to retain our victory(2Cor2:14) in any battle of life we must understand Satan’s devise is to use any difficult situation, suffering, and/or pain to shipwreck our faith (1Tim.1:19). 
  Following are 5 things to remember when evil(painful), impossible circumstances arise:
1.God is good (Ps136). This is an absolute truth! It means goodness is His nature, or He exists as good; or all goodness originates in God. Therefore:
     i.God must be good all the time, in every situation (Ps145:9)
     ii.He can only ‘do’ good(Ps119:68) because His is good. Or, God
         cannot act apart from His nature of good.
     iii.God does not and cannot do evil…because He is absolutely good.
2.There is a ‘reason’ for everything or situation, even your present difficult circumstance.
3.God knows that ‘reason’ because He is omniscient.
4.It is God’s will for you to know
5.However, like a parent in a certain situation with a child who, because of age or maturity may not be capable of understanding, God may determine you are not ready to handle a reason for your situation.
      Or better yet, how about answering the following question:
  Is God obligated to inform you of the reason for a bad or painful situation you are now facing?

 
We’ll continue next week….
Pastor Derrick Jackson
 
 
 
Quote Bit
Motivation leads to action; action leads to skilled action; skilled action leads to productivity; productivity leads to accomplishment; and accomplishment back to greater motivation.
-                               Derrick Jackson