"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8
Most parents can relate to the “but why,” phase all children venture through.
“Go back to your bed.”
“But why?”
“Because you need your rest.”
“But why?”
“So you can get up for school in the morning.”
“But why?”
“Because you need to go to school”
“But why?”…. the whys never end, just like Lamchop’s song. You can always ask why. Just try it.
I’ve felt like that annoying five or 10 year old asking the, “why’s” of life. This week a mother passed away from cancer. For six years Beatriz battled through chemotherapy, radiation, a double mastectomy and infertility. At 34 years old, she left behind her husband and 16-month old son. I didn’t know her personally, but we attended the same church and have exchanged friendly hellos in the past. My heart breaks for her and her family. Why would God allow a woman with cancer to conceive a child and die shortly after?
On the opposite side of the spectrum, a beloved family friend outlived many of her children. Multiple miscarriages, still born and infant deaths compose much of her motherhood history. I couldn’t imagine losing a child after carrying him for nine months and labouring through the hours of birth, only to witness his first and last breath. Why would God allow a healthy woman to lose child after child?
Getting closer to home, one Sunday morning my youngest cousins, ages four and six, couldn’t wake their mom. Aunt Glenda died in her sleep at 40 years old. The cause of death was unknown. Why did God take away such a precious mother from her children before her time?
Why do some live and others die? Why are some lavished in riches and others cannot even clothe themselves? Why am I blessed to be Canadian and others are fleeing their homeland to stay alive?
I used to have a list of questions I was going to ask God once I got to heaven. I was recently going through this list when the thought came to me, “By the time I reach heaven, the answers won’t matter anymore.” My aunt will be there, along with many others who lost their lives so young. We will probably chuckle when we think that for all these years we felt they were missing out on life.
However, this isn’t a comfort to us that suffer loss. And, I’m not treating poverty, disease, and disaster with a light heart either. Only God knows the answers to our whys. I’m just grateful that I have Christ to cling to when life’s storms rage. I would drown from the winds and waves without Him.
An encouraging song that has helped me through hard times:
You Make Me Brave- Bethel Music
John 16:33
Isaiah 55:9
Romans 5:12