On Whys And Wherefores…

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“God’s ways seem dark,
But soon or late,
They touch the shining
Hills of day.”

- J. G. Whittier

Why? Why do certain things happen? Why is there so much injustice in this world? Why does tragedy hit some families, while others seem to have more than their share of good things?

At different points in my life I have faced situations, wherein my trust in God’s unfailing justice, was shaken. One time, I remember feeling pain and a sort of blank amazement, as blow upon blow, fell. I couldn’t comprehend why God would allow such things to happen. His reply to my incoherent query was, “…do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength…be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved…” *

At other times, I compared my life to others and asked Him, why. His response was similar to Aslan’s – “It is not your story to know.”

I do not claim that I have understood His ways. One thing, however, I do know –

I lay my “whys”
Before Your Cross
In worship kneeling,
My mind too numb
For thought,
My heart beyond
All feeling.

And worshipping,
Realise that I
In knowing You
Don’t need a “why”.

- Ruth Bell Graham

* Nehemiah 8: 10, 11

Comments

Unknown said…
A lot of the Psalms are all about the injustice of life. I think we have to admit that life isn't just (can you say there's justice in the face of Darfur?), but that we still have to hope for and work for justice.

Do we not need a 'Why'? I refuse to let that question drop. For in asking 'why', we can perceive causes for injustice, and so work to stop further injustice.

Only in exhaustion I can understand the resignation to numbness.
14 November 2007 at 21:48
inkhorn said…
Yes, life isn’t just. I was talking about the death of a young man when I wrote that blog. I still do not understand why God allowed him to die. Sometimes when you’ve felt all the emotions from grief to anger, a sort of numbness is a blessed respite.

There is injustice in this world. If God has put it in your heart to fight a particular injustice, then you should.

I cannot stop myself from questioning. I think it comes naturally. But after the questions are asked, the knowledge that He is there with me, helps me come to terms with it.

Remember the conversation we had about prayer and using it as an excuse to not do anything. Definitely, we should help others, work towards providing a better life for those in need, and fight injustice. But, it has to be a part of God’s plan for my life. If I tried to fight injustice with my own abilities, I wouldn’t be of much help to anybody. Of course people can hide behind that as well and say that God does not want them to do a particular task…I think there has to be a certain amount of honesty between oneself, God and other people.
15 November 2007 at 18:30
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