DEALING WITH LIFE’S MYSTERIES…

        There are times—more than we want—when “life just doesn’t make sense!” At those times we often ask why God allows them; why He doesn’t do something differently. Or why did He not prevent it? (We seldom ask this when life is pleasant.)

        Unexpected heartaches, serious illnesses, “accidents,” or an untimely death cause us to wonder what is going on. Furthermore, at times bitterness sets in and we become cynical or cave in to a sense of hopelessness; we wonder, “What’s the use?”

        People sometimes ask me why God doesn’t prevent more tragedy and, most of the time, I have to respond by simply admitting: “I don’t know.”

        Yet I don’t feel alone in this. In the Bible, Romans chapters 9-11 have a total of ninety verses. In these the apostle Paul lays out the purposes of God for the world in a masterful way. Yet in the end he says, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out” (Romans 11:33)! If a divinely inspired writer had to conclude that the ways of God were beyond him, I don’t feel too badly doing the same.

        Yet I realize that this does not relieve the pain of suffering. My hope is that we won’t add to it by allowing bitterness to squeeze the life out of us. Neither does God. Consequently, He has made provision for us when life is overwhelming. He sent the Lord Jesus into the world to live here--as well as to die. His life was marked by every human experience we can ever have apart from sin.

        As the Bible states: “For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He has felt everything we will ever feel. Consider the garden of Gethsemane where He: “…fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me…” (Matthew 26:39). Reflecting on this experience the Bible records that “…He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears…” (Hebrews 5:7).

        With such a representative in the presence of God right now, we are exhorted to: “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

        Even if there is not a single person on earth who understands our feelings and our needs, there is One in heaven.

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