Questions ...

A good friend of our is dealing with some serious health issues and while I pray and ask God for a miracle, I also wonder why this friend? Why now?

When I was growing up, it wasn't O.K. to question God. Often I heard "It's God's will and we accept it." Occasionally, I did hear prayer for miracles, but when the healing didn't happen the blame shifted to either "you must have sinned and this is why you aren't being healed" OR "God just doesn't want to heal you." Neither sat very well with me. Maybe this is why the first 30 some years of my life I was terrified of God.

As I reflect on this, I think I've shifted radically in my beliefs about my relationship with God and how He feels about me asking "WHY?"

I think it's O.K., because as I look in the bible I see many examples of people asking why; For example, take a look at Job, like him I may have to wait for 40 chapters of my life to hear anything from God, and even then, it may not be what I ever thought I needed, but the 40 chapters of my life with God will have been worth it.

And then in Psalms, David questions God quite often and he was still greatly loved and blessed.

I suppose the sticky part is when we get lost in the question and never move on.

And another huge example; Jesus questioned God ... and that "Why?" didn’t keep him lost in the garden.

So maybe instead of just asking God “Why are things the way they are?” I need to say, “OK, because things are the way they are ... "what then should I do?"