THE GOSPEL MESSAGE
 
    Volume 50   Number 2                                                         February 2008
Editor and Publisher - Thomas W. Woody

Godly Reactions to Problems

or

"Why Not Me, Lord?"

Thomas W. Woody

We can often hear of men and women who are stricken with a severe trial and their reaction is a pathetic, or sometimes even angry, outcry to God that goes something like, “Why me, Lord?” Maybe they lose money, their house, a job, or a loved one. Asking God why He picked them assumes that there is a great injustice to the situation, implying that maybe the Lord is guilty of wrongdoing. Is this the response of a child of God when things go wrong, or could there be a better way?

How did Job react when all of his children and cattle were taken from him in a day? “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” (Job 1:20-22). His godly reaction shines as a bright light to all today who will never have a fraction of what Job had to lose. Job didn’t forgot his roots – nakedness: Graciously covered by the goodness of the God of love!

How did Jesus respond to constant suffering from the people He came to save? We never read of any time when the Savior called into question the perfect Will of His Father, do we? Rather, we always see the beautiful submission of a beloved Son whose greatest pleasure was following His Father’s Will, even if it hurt. He always remembered the joy set before Him by the same Father (Hebrews 12:1-3).

How did Paul and Silas respond when they were publicly humiliated and beaten for doing good? “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25). No lawsuits filed, not even an angry threat from these good news angels. Instead, a rejoicing in the Lord; thanksgiving that was only made more marvelous against the backdrop of their unfair treatment.

Have we ever been subjected to trials like these? We may well ask, “Why not me, Lord?” In the meantime, let’s always remember that it is not God Who is in the wrong; it is I who wronged God more times than I like to remember. He hasn’t rewarded us according to our iniquities; He only wants us to become more like His Son each day (Romans 8:29).



~ P.O. Box 148, Brighton, IL  62012-0148
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