Life’s experiences can sometimes cause us to cry out as David did. Though God always allows us time to vent, these emotions, if unabated, can lead us to doubt God’s character. In the midst of heartwrenching circumstances, some cry out, “Why me?” and others say, “Why not me?”
God is just in all He does, and in everything He does He is kind. God is good, just, and kind. These are character traits of our eternal God. Nothing that happens to us ever changes these attributes. One of the favorite sayings of a missionary friend of mine is, “Never judge God by your circumstances, but judge your circumstances according to the character of God.”
A good God allows bad things to happen to good people. But our sovereign Lord takes the negative and turns it to something positive for all those who love Him. In the midst of heartache and pain, our heavenly Father is always choosing our highest good.
Grace is God’s unmerited favor. It has been said that we only appreciate what we have after we have lost it. God, in His sovereign will, sometimes withdraws a measure of grace and things happen. I have often said God could send a bolt of lightning to destroy me and not have to apologize to my family and friends. I would have gotten only what I deserved. Complaining about a momentary pause in God’s favor is like saying I deserve what I don’t deserve. It’s a contradiction in terms and shows a lack of understanding of the grace of God.
I don’t pray much for justice anymore because I am afraid I might get it. In the future, when you’re tempted to say, “Why me, God?” I hope your question is instead, “Why not me, Lord?”
(Photo courtesy of morguefile and DodgertonSkillhause.)
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Ken Barnes has had a twenty-five year career in educational pursuits. He has taught in various public and private schools in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Virginia. He also worked for seventeen years with Youth With A Mission as a school leader, recruiter, and director. Ken holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places. He currently is a speaker, blogger, and freelance writer. Ken lives with his wife Sharon in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Visit Ken at https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/