Keeping the Faith : The question “Why?” is hard to answer

Not being able to understand, or answer the question ‘Why?' is arguably one of the most frustrating situations one can find himself in.

It is natural to want an answer and, unfortunately, we don't always get one.

Bad things happen every single day. The man who is constantly putting the needs of others ahead of his own still gets cancer.

That isn't fair. This man shouldn't be sentenced to go through chemo, feeling sick all the time, waiting for healing or death. He should be helping people, as he loves to do.

The woman who always wears a smile and would never harm a fly is still killed by a drunk driver. And it isn't fair. It's not fair to that woman's family. It's not fair that they are left with a void in their hearts. A fine and some jail time just doesn't feel like justice.

The answer to why these things happen doesn't come easily and for most, that is unacceptable.

So why does God allow this pain and suffering to plague our world when He could prevent it? I don't have an answer. I'm not entirely sure one even exists.

But I have some leads. Maybe, just maybe, God has bigger eyes than we do.

He knows everything and perhaps one of the things that He knows that we don't would help make sense of what we don't understand.

Maybe God is working through a crummy situation to reach someone who really needs Him but also needs to be shaken a little.

Maybe justice doesn't mean exactly what we think it means. After all, if we're going for justice, we can carry it with us all the way to hell.

Perhaps God has His own ideas about how justice works. Sin entered the world a long time ago, but God created a way to save us from the consequences of sin.

This is His justice. So if a few hardships along the way are all we have to get through before eternity with our creator, I'll take it.

My best advice, if you are having trouble understanding why God allows us to undergo so much pain, is first to remember that God is with you.

He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6 NIV) Secondly, ask Him for discernment. Pray for comfort. For peace.

And if you're angry, be angry with Him. Tell Him why you're angry. Explain what's not fair. It won't undo it, but it might make you feel better.

When something hurts me, my first question is always, why is God allowing me to feel this way?

The answer is usually, one—because He has equipped me to get through it, and two—I will be learning something, and that lesson is usually to stop trying to handle everything on my own and let Him help me. He has equipped you, too.

Lastly, it is not my intention to make it sound like accepting the evil of the world because God knows more than us is an answer. It's not. I still get angry with God when I don't understand why He has allowed something so painful to happen.

But I do strongly believe that praying about your pain, if that means yelling about it, or simply asking for its removal, will help. It won't be instantaneous, but be patient, and it will come.

And if you're left with the question ‘Why,' ask God, and expect an answer.