Join me in welcoming my sweet friend, Betty Predmore, to the blog today. I know God is continually using her season of asking why because I see it lived out in her life. I pray her words will lead you to faith in the midst of your own why.
Finding the Answers to Why
Faith is defined as having a strong belief in God, trusting him not by what we see in his works but by what we believe to be true. It is much like the wind. We don’t see it, but we know it is there by feeling it and seeing its effects around us.
Often, our faith is tested by the trials in our lives. Those times when we sit in disbelief at our circumstances and wonder why God chose this path for us or someone we are close to. Many questions work their way to the surface of our minds:
● Why would God allow this to happen?
● How are we going to get through this?
● What can I do to make this better?
● What did I do to cause this?
The dissolution of my first marriage was one of the times when my faith was tested. I kept asking God why.
● Why was I such a failure in this union?
● Why did none of my efforts make a difference?
● Why did my kids have to go through this?
After many years of emotional abuse, my heart became numb. It was easier to feel nothing than to feel the pain. I imagine I would have continued on that journey of unhappiness and misery much longer had it not been for the way my children were being affected.
Seeing no other way out of the emotional distress and pain, I made the difficult, much-dreaded choice to dissolve my marriage. The pain was indescribable. The reactions of my children were varied. There were issues to be worked on, and I was on my own (so I thought) to figure it all out for my kids.
Isn’t it interesting how often we think we are on our own during our struggles when we have a Savior who is right there with us? We need only accept and recognize that fact.
When that time came, I was left with not much but my faith. Shattered by life inside my own home, I had trepidation about piecing together the lives of my children. I feared how I would afford to feed and clothe my kids each month. I wondered how I would make ends meet.
Looking back, I see that God placed me in a position where I had nothing but him to rely on. During that time, my faith expanded beyond anything I had previously experienced. I paid my bills, fed and clothed my children, and declared it a victory every month. Every victory led to increased faith.
My faith grew as I witnessed the impossible becoming possible.
During that time, God’s provision over my family always left no question that he was watching over us, walking through our valley and drawing us up towards the mountaintop.
With increased faith came increased confidence, not only in God but in myself. Slowly my children and I pieced together the broken places in our lives. Gradually we found our joy again. I learned that God is right there through every “why” in our lives.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. (Psalm 112:4 ESV)
God shows us so much mercy and grace when we are stumbling through our “why.” And because of that grace and mercy, we start to see the light rising like the sunrise, covering us in the brilliance that can only come from God.
As we embrace that light, we can shine that light to others. As it tells us in Matthew 5:16, we can let our light shine before others so that they can see. Through trials as we put our faith in God and walk with him through our journey, we become an example to others who are struggling.
That in itself is part of the why. Our test becomes our testimony. Our mess becomes our message. Moments of why are never wasted when we draw near and trust the Lord’s plan.
Leaning in requires faith. Trust requires faith. Hope requires faith. Faith is the key to our ability to overcome our struggles, learn from them, and understand why.
Heavenly Father, we pray that we feel your presence as we walk through our struggles. When we question and ask “why,” help us hear your voice whispering to our hearts, help us to lean into your guidance, grace, and mercy. Allow us the opportunity to grow through our circumstances so that we can be a light in the darkness of someone else’s “why.”
We love you, trust you, and know that you are our comfort in our moments of need and trials. Forgive us when we try to fix our issues on our own. Forgive us when we question you.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Sharing the gospel through writing and speaking is one of Betty Predmore’s favorite things to do.Betty has written two devotionals, Pondering Virtue and Whispered Grace. She has contributed to several collaborative book compilations and written for numerous Christian magazines and blogs.
Betty is a wife and mother of seven including biological and adopted children. (Family is the fodder for many of her entertaining stories.) She is also Grammie to some sweet little ones. Betty enjoys spending time with her people, her books, and Jesus.
You can connect with Betty using these links:
