Why is God Doing This to Me?

“Why is God doing this to me?” Galen asked, nearly pleading.

He wasn’t asking me. But I was interested in Sherri’s response. Galen complains of being plagued with crisis after crisis. Now he was sure, God was causing his latest run-amuck.

Sherri always tries her best to inject hope. It seemed futile as Galen was feeling pretty beat down.

Now here’s the strange twist. Sherri has experienced nearly as many challenges in the last year as Galen. Possibly more.

Family deaths. Selling her home. A business setback. Working in a variety of ministries which occasionally results in fatigue or illness Money seems semi-nonexistent. But she presses on with joy as she shares hope, God’s hope, with others.

What’s the difference between Galen and Sherri?

Attitude. Godly attitude.

The Bible says: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such thing.” We each have a choice. We decide on how we think about God. Other people. Our situation. Ourselves. Etc.

Attitude.

Here’s an example. Sherri said, “I was at Wal-Mart looking at an ice-cube tray. I put it back; it cost too much.” Her secondhand refrigerator didn’t have any trays. She continued, “I just thought: God can provide one.”

Serving God fulltime and a $1.47 purchase is too extravagant. Almost seems like a why-is-God-doing-this-to-me-moment.

Two days later she was out for a walk. She noticed an ice-cube tray in some grass along the road. When’s the last time you found an ice-cube tray? There’s more. Three days later she found a second one.

When Sherri told me, she was laughing. Raising her hands toward heaven, praising God. As the Bible says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say: rejoice.”

Attitude.

Choose One. The Heart or the Bible?

No one forced Tammy to fill in the handout. And the way she tossed it on the counter signified she was miffed.

The Free Store, where she was shopping—for free, is an unabashed Christian ministry.

And they aren’t sneaky about trying to make Jesus known. Tracts, Scriptures on the walls, church service schedules on the bulletin board, always free Bibles and Christian books.

In the flyer titled, “What do you think??” she had answered correctly on five of its six questions. Do you know God loves you? Was Jesus a fool to die on the Cross? Do you know why Jesus died on the Cross? Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? Do you know exactly what you believe and why you believe that way?

She didn’t answer: “Is the God of the Bible real?” But she left a comment: “Belief is in the heart not a book!”

This would be a common way of thinking: “Follow your heart.”

I once looked up, read, and compiled every Bible verse containing “heart.” 800 verses. During this time frame, I asked people what “heart” meant.

Amazingly, even the godliest and the most intelligent people I know, provided somewhat fuzzy explanations.

So why would a person want to follow their heart? Would they even know exactly what they were following?

The word “heart” makes its first Biblical appearance in Genesis 6:5: “The wickedness of man…every intent of the thought of his heart was evil continually.”

Following the heart way too often leads to calamity. Or worse.

The Bible says: “The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.” Here’s the superior approach: get God’s law, the Bible in your heart. This properly prepares our hearts to guide us in a slip-less life.

Hardcore

That’s what my Pastor calls them: “Hardcore.”

We both agree. We have more respect for someone who is hardcore—making a firm stand in what they believe; no wavering. Even if our beliefs are totally opposite. They’ve made a bold, uncompromising stand which they will live and die by.

Joshua, one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, spoke words which exemplify this way of living: "Now, therefore, fear the LORD God and serve Him in sincerity and truth...and serve the LORD God. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD God, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.”

Hardcore. Make a choice. Make a stand. Till the end.

Looking in the Sunday newspaper it appeared I found someone doing just this. Miriam performs non-religious wedding ceremonies: “A humanist clergy… (she) is driven by principles of humanism, a science driven philosophy that rejects religious belief and focuses on human value.”

Pretty blunt for a Christian to read. “Science driven…rejects religious belief.”

The article then goes on to say: “Miriam often incorporates glass-breaking into her ceremonies, explaining its power in protecting the couple from evil spirits.”

What? So which science teaches glass breaking protects against evil spirits?

Jesus’ followers were often challenged with clear, focused, make-a-choice teachings. Their confused minds, filled with contrasting beliefs, were startled by words like: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.”

Later a decision-time question from Jesus forced a response.

Their answer solidified their now “hardcore” standing: “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We believe and know You are God’s Holy One.”

No wavering. Whole-hearted dedication. No doubt.

Hardcore.

Daniel's Song

The tears from the other end of the phone nearly obscured the message. And the static in my head declared: “No, this can’t be happening,” momentarily freezing my ability to respond.

Fourteen-year-old Daniel had been hit by a drunk driver while walking with a friend. He had been airlifted to a metropolitan hospital thirty miles north.

Psalm 118:17 became my prayer through the night at the hospital. “Daniel… will not die, but live. And tell of the works of the LORD.”

My faith in God remained firm all night, opposed to the words of the doctors. To the degree that it was difficult to absorb the words from Daniel’s mother seven hours later.

“He’s gone.”

The weight of his death piled on heavier than any I had ever experienced. I was Daniel’s pastor. We’re family—my third cousin. Daniel was my spiritual son. Beyond all, it felt like I had lost a son.
I’m a man of faith, the pastor. Now I have more questions than answers. My faith had been so strong: Daniel will live—“and tell of the works of the LORD.”

Through all, experience has taught me, God will provide answers.

Two hours later I received an e-mail from Bryan Corbin, a writing colleague. He knew nothing of my situation.

These are his words. “I queried the Lord yesterday about the difference between faith and trust—this is what I heard. Faith is what is required to believe in the things we’ve yet to see, while trust is what is required when what we see doesn’t seem to support what we’ve had the faith to believe.”

The answer, the message was clear—trust God. Always.

Psalm 27:13 says: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”