Why is God allowing this to happen to me?
I’ve been asked this question by at least three people this week. I’ll admit, it’s a question I’ve asked before and one that I’m not confident in responding with an answer.
The longer I live and the more I read and study scripture the more I do see an answer to this question emerging.
I wish it were a magic formula that I’ve discovered. Like if I prayed the prayer of Jabez six times a day my situation would change. Or if I gave in faith as a seed offering of what I want God to do. Or, if I just start doing good things then good would come in return.
I would love for those to be the case. I wish it were like a algebra equation where we could work the formula and get a solution.
Unfortunately, it’s not. What it is can be frustrating, painful, heartbreaking, and sometimes leave you feeling hopeless.
The answer I see emerging is this:
God wants us to realize our how much we need Jesus and only Jesus.
He wants you and me to see that a pursuit after any other thing leads to nothing as fulfilling as having Jesus. .
A pursuit after temporary happiness that will eventually disappear can’t replace what you can have in Jesus.
A life of comfort and riches is nothing compared to who Jesus is and what He is to us.
A relationship with another person will never fulfill what we can have in Jesus.
No achievement, award, job title, certificate, diploma, trophy, sale, skill, or reputation can equal what we can have in Jesus.
To which my argument is “Can’t I cave both?”
No. If I have to have anything else with what I have in Jesus, I have no clue what I have in Jesus.
God wants us to have an earth shattering, world colliding confrontation with anything that attempts to do for us only what Jesus can do for us.
What are you pursuing that is you feel you have to have in order to be happy?
What is it that drives you to work harder at being accepted?
Why are you not content with anything you have?
Why do you need that extra degree? Is it really to provide for your family or is that argument a mask to cover your insecurity and lack of confidence?
When we discover who Jesus is to us and we begin to live the life Holy Spirit wants to lead us to live, we will discover that if we have Jesus, we have everything we need.