Psalm 9:10  Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

“Why?”

This is a question that many of us frequently have.  Sometimes there are ready answers, i.e., “Why did I do poorly on that test?”  Answer: I didn’t study.  Question: “Why is my spouse upset with me?”  Answer: I behaved like a jerk.

Then there are the ‘why’ questions that are more difficult to answer.  Why did I have to lose my job now?  Why couldn’t that accident have been avoided?  Why are does it seem we are always going through difficult times?  Why does it seem that everyone else is being blessed and we’re not?  Why did I have to lose that client? – That sale?  Why did we invest our savings in something that was going to collapse?  Why did she have to die?

Two thoughts for us to consider: The first is our culture is preoccupied to an unhealthy degree with the question ‘Why?’  We want to know the why of everything.  Often this question and how we respond to it lead us down a road with no outlet – leading to frustration, discouragement, anger, a sense of ‘victimhood’, rejection or abandonment.

The other thought is to choose to make the question ‘why’ an invitation from the Lord.  By that I mean that whenever we are hit with a difficult ‘why’, we look to our Lord for wisdom, insight and understanding.  Think of it as a wonderful learned reaction.

If Ohio State Buckeye fans hear someone say “O-H” the immediate response is “I-O”.  Likewise in these situations when we think or hear “W-H-Y” our response needs to be “J-E-S-U-S”.  He is our refuge and resource.  He is the one we trust.  Even in silence, He enables us to become secure experientially – not just in theological head knowledge – but in the reality of His trustworthiness.

For many of us, this is going to involve a significant transition process. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, counselor and guide.  He lets us know we need to change; He shows us the way and enables us to learn how to walk in it.  He will help us establish new God-centered habit patterns that bring life and righteousness.  The more our lives reflect our dependency upon Him the freer we become.