Why oh why?

I had an opportunity to spend some time with my adorable three years old nephew few days ago. He is at the cute yet challenging age of asking why all the time. It is very adorable in the beginning, but after 2 hours of constant whys, it's beginning to sound like a broken record. I racked my brain trying to find answers to his questions, why? Because I loved the look of satisfaction on his little face when he get an answer to his question. Of course, this is often followed by another question, but that brief moment was beautiful while it lasted. :)

A lot of times we are just like three years old children to God. We too constantly pester God with our why questions. I mean, if you can ask God a question right now, what would you ask? If you are anything like me, you would have trouble answering this. Why? Because I have so many questions that I have trouble picking just one to ask. Especially when there is a catastrophe happening in the world, I can't help but ask these questions. Even in my own life, I have so many questions to ask God. I want to ask Him why He allowed different things to happen, why is there so much pain, why didn't this happen, why did that happen...

But the truth of the matter is, we will probably never get all of our questions answered until we see our Father in heaven. In our world, we are just too limited in our thinking and in our understanding. We will never be able to truly understand why things happened the way they did because we can't see the full picture. Is it wrong to ask God "whys" then? No, of course not, even Jesus asked why before He gone on the cross. Did Jesus get an answer to His question? I don't think so. But Jesus had the faith to trust in the Father. He knew that even though He doesn't truly understand why, whatever happens happens according to the Father's will. It says in Isaiah,

"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

Just like the clay cannot understand the work of the potter, we too cannot understand the work of our Father. But everything the potter does to the clay allows the clay to take form and become something usable, similarly, everything the Father allows to happen to us also turn us into someone better and more useful to Him. With each molding and pressing, we are shaped more and more into the likeness of our heavenly Father. Sometimes it takes time for us to look back to understand why things happen the way they did, other times even in retrospective things still don't make sense. But what we need to know is not why things happen, but that everything happens happens for our benefit.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Right now the question we need to ask is not just "why does God allow these suffering to happen", we also need to ask ourselves, do I have enough faith to trust in His plans for me? Even when trials hit, can I stand strong and hold onto Him? One of my favorite characters in the bible is David. He is one of my favorite because no matter what he went through, he held onto God. Did he stumble? Yes, tons of times, but each time he stood back up and his faith unwavered. Did he ask whys? Tons of times, in fact, Psalms is filled with him asking whys and asking when his suffering will be over. But here is what David wrote in one of his psalms,

"The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalms 145:13b-16

Remember, God's hand is always at work. Sometimes we may not see it because it's behind the scene, but it's still there for us nonetheless. I want to end this blog with a little story.

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, un-inhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt that the worst had happened and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief and anger. He cried out, "God! Why would you do this to me?" Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal,"  they replied.