“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.” -1 Corinthians 13:21 (NLT)
It was the first day of the year, probably 1998. I was starting the year with a hike as I like to do, but it was hotter than usual for that time of year. At one point when I was SO exhausted and near death (okay, not really), I dropped to my knees and cried out “Why, God Why?!?” Maybe a little dramatic…? Yes! I was in my 20’s 😉 No surprise, God didn’t answer from the heavens. Thus I got up, brushed myself off, drank some water and finished my three mile hike. This was but one of many times in my life I asked God – Why? Except that most of those times, I was asking for far more serious reasons.
I think asking why is just part of the human experience. I can’t tell you how many times I asked why…until I didn’t. My friend Carol wisely told that even if we did know “why” it wouldn’t help us in the aftermath of something hard. Whether it’s a break-up, a natural disaster, a financial loss, a bad diagnosis or some other thing that doesn’t make sense to us, the why can be often be irrelevant when trying to navigate through the situation itself.
God says in His word in 1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV – “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known…” This shows us that our understanding is limited and incomplete here on Earth as with our finite, human minds, we cannot fully know all things. No doubt, we all know people who THINK they know everything, but that’s another discussion entirely!
Consequently…I stopped asking why. It is a fruitless task and I don’t like to waste time. I realized ultimately my friend was right: knowing “why” is just a footnote after the fact. During a hard season dealing with cancer, once I had mostly healed up, and all the questions started surfacing in my heart about “why”, I decided to do something different and NOT ask that question. I know there isn’t an answer. My doctors certainly didn’t have one.
What seemed to me to be the better question instead was, ‘What Now, God?’ Now that this life experience was part of my story, what did God want me to do, to know, or focus on now?
For me, that means that I have seen just how fragile and unpredictable life can be, I now take my time here and blessings a lot less for granted. I also saw God work in so many dynamic ways that I was caught off guard. He showed – in the best way – Himself and His love to me in ways that still leave me awestruck. It also led to me going on a mission trip one year later to a unsafe region. That experience shifted so many things for me, challenging and changing me in ways that I never could have imagined!
I can’t help but think I wouldn’t be where I am today in my relationship with Christ without the impact and soul searching of some of the tough times. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to go through something super dramatic to have a closer relationship with Christ…this is just what happened for me. But as most of us have learned, hard times really can cause great growth.
At this point, let me go off on a tangent for a second. I’ve had more than my share of people say my cancer was a blessing in disguise! Ugh. Have you had cancer?!? I can say for certain…NOT a blessing. In James 1:17 NIV it says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from he Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” God is saying all good and perfect things come from Him. Cancer is not a good thing even if good things come out of it. Cancer is part of the curse and part of living in this fallen world.
If we call good what God calls bad (Isaiah 5:20), we confuse people and mess with our witness of a Good God. Hear me out a second, if we tell people God is good, but then He goes and gives someone cancer, I would find that super confusing. Wouldn’t you? If that’s God’s idea of good, I don’t want to see what He thinks is bad! You get what I’m saying? God doesn’t give sickness, because He doesn’t have it to give. So I’d say use the phrase “blessing in disguise” very carefully…especially around someone who has had or is going through a tough time. Having said all that, I can say that God can work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). That’s God’s mystery, one that we can’t fully understand, but can still benefit from either way.
Back to why? I don’t know what in your life is causing you to ask “why?,” but I encourage you to direct that question to God and see how He guides you. In the past, He has given me enough of an answer that satisfies my questioning heart on this side of heaven, and helped me to reshape my perspective.
Remember, we only know a small part of the picture right now, so the rest is built on faith and trust in God. Use that faith, trust and God’s word to shape and inform your journey, through the good times, the bad times, and everything in-between.
Please let me know in the comments how I can pray for you today as we’re all on this journey together!
With so much love,
Pam
Scripture references:
-Isaiah 5:20 NLT
What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
-Romans 8:28 NLT
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
-Job 11:7 NIV
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
#DealingWithCancer #GodisStillGood #Questions #QuestionsForGod #Why? #WhyGod
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