Why Me?

Do you sometimes sit and ask yourself why? Why am I struggling financially? Why does it seem that all of my friends are succeeding and I am lagging behind? Why is it fair that friends get great jobs, and I get entry-level positions? Why don’t I have as many friends as the next person? Why is life so unfair to me? Why? Sounds like a pity party doesn’t it? Well, it is. We all have lived through pity parties and asked the question Why? Why me? Why do we not remember the passage from James 1:2-3: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (perseverance).”Once we come out of the pity party what do we discover, what lesson do we take away, and what do we remember?

We remember that every person has a journey, and difficult times may be a part of that journey. Allowing ourselves to succumb to the dark times in life causes defeat. Defeat of spirit, defeat of self, and defeat of faith. Years ago there was a slogan on wristbands, banners, and t-shirts: WWJD. What would Jesus do? We were told that before we spoke, before we reacted, before we became emotional, we were to think of what Jesus would do in the situation we were facing. In our moments of questioning why life is not fair, do we ever stop to think about the number of biblical leaders that asked the same question? Did the Lord not have a plan for them through their suffering and dark times?

•  Look at Moses. Why me? Why should I be the one to speak to Pharoah? Why am I leading the people out of Egypt? The end result is that he led the people out of Egypt. He became their leader that parted the Red Sea, and he brought the law known as the Ten Commandments.

• Abraham and Sarah were married, old, and childless. When the Lord said that he would give them a child in their old age, Sarah’s laughter was indicative of her asking why me and why now?  Look at how the Lord had a plan for them and a blessing after many childless years. Sarah gave birth to Isaac who would continue the promise between God and Abraham.

• There is the case of Hannah. Why me? Why am I barren? Why do I feel unloved and unworthy because I cannot give my husband a child? She prayed; God answered. Hannah became pregnant and brought forth a son, Samuel, that she gave back to God because He had richly blessed her. Samuel would become known for his wisdom, especially during the transition of King Saul and King David.

• What about Saul? He was heartless and hated Christians. He was mean and despised any talk of Jesus. We all know that God had a plan for him. Through his ugly period, he had an encounter with God that would change his life from darkness and blindness to one of light and fulfillment. He became Paul, the Apostle, one of the greatest teachers of God’s word.  

• Why me? One of the greatest questions in biblical history is “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Mathew 27:46. In His flesh, Jesus was asking why. In the Garden of  Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” Mark 14:36. Does this question and prayer equate to a form of why me?

If Jesus had struggles in his life here on earth, what makes us think that we will not have struggles? The outcome of Jesus’ struggles is that we know that we have a Father who loves us unconditionally and without measure that He would give his only Son. We know that we are sinners, and there is nothing that we could ever do to clean our slates. We serve a merciful Father who teaches us through the word and through our life experiences. If Moses, Abraham and Sarah, Hannah, and Saul could struggle in periods of darkness and survive, why can’t we? When we struggle are we trusting that God is walking with us, or are we still asking why?

When we start to question why life isn’t fair, we need to remember that if Jesus, the Son of God, in His human flesh asked why me then we can and should ask ourselves, why not me?

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