In Chapter 1 (“Trust at My Doorstep”) of Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There, author Ruth Graham discusses the question most people ask when adversity hits-“Why, God?” When we ask this question, Ruth notes, we’re expressing our deepest emotions, hurt and disappointment to God. Although God already knows what we’re feeling, we need to discover what truly is in our hearts as we freely express ourselves to the Lord.
We experience problems, though, when we fixate on that question. The author explains:
“But we can also get stuck at why. While asking why can be a stimulus for further exploration, understanding, and honest grappling, sometimes it can become a defense- a way to keep God out and to keep intimacy with Him at bay. We can go round and round in circles with why, never really intending to get anywhere. We can get comfortable with why.”
At some point we need to move forward. When one of Ruth’s uncles suddenly died, his wife suffered greatly. There came a time, however, when she was able to say, “I’m going to lean into the pain.” She made the commitment to lean on God, trusting and expecting that He would be there.
Trusting God is a step of faith, done with the realization that all of our questions haven’t been or may never be resolved in our lifetime.
