I asked God ‘Why?’ and He answered

Have you ever looked at your life or the world around you and asked God “why?” I have been there so many times and it seems as if there are more problems than answers. We wonder what the purpose of this life is when everything around us seems to be spiraling. When I reached the point of raising life’s questions to God, here is how he responded:

I asked the Lord why there was so much hunger and starvation. He answered, “my child, ‘one does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4) Mankind is starving for much more than physical food and water. I fed the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) and I can create bread from rocks (Matthew 4:3-4), but one must learn to live on my holy Word rather than bread alone. One must learn to live on my divine body and my precious blood before one can truly be alive. For even after one receives bread, one will die. Even after one is filled with fresh water, one will succumb to death. When one lives on my body and blood, one will never die. ‘I am the bread of life.’” (John 6:35)

I asked the Lord why there was so much racism and prejudice. He answered, “my child, it is the sin of pride that blinds one to the reality that all are created equal, have value, dignity and worth. It is arrogance that forms a film over one’s eyes where they cannot see that I have a plan for every life, ‘plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.’ (Jeremiah 29:11) Until one removes the film from the eyes and pulls off the blindfold then one will never see others as I see each of you.”

I asked the Lord why there was so much greed. He answered, “my child, do you not remember that ‘no one can serve two masters? He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’ (Matthew 6:24) If one is consumed by the chase of prosperity or the hunger for wealth, then one cannot serve me. If you allow money to dictate your direction, then the root of gold will devour you. Those who serve mammon have made their choice. You must choose wisely.’”

I asked the Lord why there was so much hatred and violence. He answered, “my child, do you not recall that I reminded you, ‘if the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.’ (John 15:18-19) The world is angry toward you because the prince of the world despises me. Hatred and violence are for a short time. Holiness, joy, and love remain for eternity. If you remain in me then you remain in love. If you abide in me then you abide in holiness. For I am love. I am holy.”

I asked the Lord why there was so much poverty. He answered, “my child, those without money are not those in greatest poverty. It is the poverty of the soul which truly makes one destitute. ‘For your sake I became poor’ (2 Cor. 8:9) in order that you may have riches. I gave up everything so that you may have it all. I had no place to sleep and no place to call my own so that I may give you perpetual rest in your glorious eternal home.

I asked the Lord why there was so much homelessness. He answered, “my child, one must not view only this physical world as a home. The limited sight of the human eyes and comfort of the mortal body is not your ultimate end. When I came to you, I had no home. When I drew near to you, I had no roof. It is one’s eternal home which should be the aim, not a fragile dwelling vulnerable to the storms of life. It is in the man on the street where your eyes will meet mine. It is in the rejected where you will encounter a babe in a manger.

I asked the Lord why there was so much death. He answered, “my sweet child, without death there is no life. ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life’ (Romans 6:23)’ There is a price which must be paid for sin. The cost was much too high for you to give. I took the price upon myself and cleared your account. The balance is zero, but the consequence is forever the same. One must die in order to live. You need not see death as an end but truly just the beginning. It is in the moment you say ‘goodbye’ that I take your hand and say ‘hello.’”