Day 2 - Why Me, God?
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” John 9:1-3 (NKJV)
My acceptance process has been filled with a ridiculous amount of “why me’s.”. I can throw a pretty epic pity party. I actually just had one the other day when I woke up swollen, stiff, and in pain. Because y’all, feeling that way when you are 32 sucks, and it’s frustrating. I’ve learned to leave myself some grace, because sometimes the realities of our lives can be painful and hard to understand. And as a side note, being a believer doesn’t exempt you from trials and suffering.
Sometimes, I find myself asking God for the millionth time why He would put me in this position. Reminders of Romans 9 shut me up pretty quickly, but I still am not able to fully comprehend it. The reality is that I know the answer to that question; more importantly, I know His answer to the question. I suppose the reason I keep asking is because I haven’t been able to come to full acceptance yet. 2019 will be the year I stop questioning it, and start living wholly according to God’s answer.
I realize that it’s only the 2nd day of January, but I want to go a little deeper. We all have times when we are standing in compromised positions. For some of us, it’s battling chronic illnesses, for others, it can be difficult relationships, poor work conditions, financial instability, and so on. Regardless of what it is, it’s my firm belief that God uses our position in an effort to reveal a purpose greater than ourselves. The Word says “The Lord has made everything for its own purpose” (Proverbs 16:4a, AMP). Whether we choose to believe, accept, or walk in that purpose is up to us.
Purpose
As believers, our ultimate purpose is to glorify God (See Isaiah 43:7, 1 Peter 2:9, Exodus 9:16. Yep, that’s it. Everything else that we are called to falls under that one purpose, and whatever we do, we are supposed to do it unto Him (1 Corinthians 10:31). Even in our suffering, in our pain, in our misery, we are supposed to magnify Him. “Why would God allow someone to go through all of that just to be boasted about?” you ask. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I have found comfort in the following explanations…
1. Our compromised positions present an opportunity for God to perform wonders and miracles. How can we know Him as a healer if we’re never sick? How will we know miracles if we aren’t in seemingly inescapable situations? Looking to the above scripture from John 9, as Jesus explained, the man was blind so that he could be used an example of God’s omnipotence and awesome power. What a better way to be used by God than to display His amazing works?!
2. Experiencing negative situations humbles us. Our pride and ego often prevent us from fully accepting the love, salvation, and blessings that God has promised us. God is actually waiting for us to humble ourselves so that He can bless us (1 Peter 5:5-6, Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11, James 4:10).
3. In our weakness, we are able to see and feel His strength. The passage I stand upon today, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (NIV) Some days I’m in so much pain that I know it’s only through God’s strength that I am able to get up and get through. When we are struggling (and admit that we are struggling), God can fully display His power. And it’s in that power that we are able to confidently walk in our calling – through the pain and whatever else may come our way.
What I’ve realized is that typically what we are called to, and where we can find our purpose dwelling, is where we suffer (where our misery lies). I’ve also realized “Why me?” moments are important to some extent, even if it’s in the form of a tantrum, because they not only open the door for answers and solutions, but they are also expressions of our weakness, humanness, and desire to find freedom in our situation. My prayer is that this year, my “Why me, God?” pity parties will be turned into a “Use me, God!” praise parties!