I spend time with individuals grieving over the death of loved family members and friends. The process of grieving is always difficult and the question repeatedly comes up, "Why now?" Several years ago, one of my best friends died, leaving three children who desperately needed her. I still question the timing. Honestly, I am not sure we are ever ready to have someone we love die or ever really understand the timing. In the end, we have the choice to trust God in His love, without expecting to always understand all the details of living.
How many times do we ask, "Why now? Things were going so well."
The thing is . . . there are why's that never makes sense from our perspective. The why's are exhausting and empty us out. Surrendering the why's to God produces restorative hope. In other words, the experience of faith in God through the presence of Christ replaces emptiness with hope. Responding to the “why’s” of life is always a challenge. We are told to face challenges with excellence: so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ Philippians 1:10
The thing is . . . there are why's that never makes sense from our perspective. The why's are exhausting and empty us out. Surrendering the why's to God produces restorative hope. In other words, the experience of faith in God through the presence of Christ replaces emptiness with hope. Responding to the “why’s” of life is always a challenge. We are told to face challenges with excellence: so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ Philippians 1:10
Ultimately, how we live is determined by our ability to discern what God would have us think, say, and do . . . rather than living in the “why’s” we pursue the excellence of the hope, joy, and peace of God:
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Learning with you to KICK START the day . . . in the love of God that abounds,
Pastor Kerrie
For a deeper study go to: interAct: Bible Study
(interAct written by Kerrie Palmer © 2009 All Rights Reserved)
kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~ interAct