Why Me?

When we're up to our neck in hard times or bad luck or pain-filled persecution, a first response often is to question "Why me?"  We are stunned by the attack against our person or assault against our health or undoing of our plans. We are puzzled as to what we have done to deserve such treatment or consequences. 

It's a natural assumption, when disaster strikes that someone acted dastardly.  On encountering a certain blind man, Jesus disciples wondered out loud, "who sinned that this man was born blind" (Jihn 9:2)?  Jesus even told an invalid he had just healed, "stop sinning or something worse might happen" (John 5:14).

However, it is not always the case that sin has preceded suffering. No one sinned in the case of the blind man, instead his blindness "happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3).  And sometimes, as in the case of Joseph, who had to flee the country of his birth with Mary and the young child Jesus, it is because you are obeying God that persecution comes (see Matt 2:13).

If you are facing tremendous loss or hardship or opposition, it would be prudent to reflect on your life and see if there is not sin in your camp.  If there is, then you certainly need to address it head on. If there is something in your life or circumstances that needs to be reversed, then by all means, do so. 

But, at the bottom of it all, the most important question is not why but who. Why something is happening is not nearly as important as to whom will you turn for a solution or for solace. Are you going to turn to self and away from God or to God and away from self in your quest for help?

Are you going to blame God or bring your sorrow to Him?  Rather than dwell on why to me is this happening, I suggest asking who is He that will be my help. May I suggest reading Psalm 23 again?  Jus'Askn.