Monday, February 6, 2017

Finding I AM Week2: From Why? to SO THAT!

Hey Blog Friends!

Last week I mentioned that in August 2016 my husband lost his job. I remember that day. My husband called, and told me he was coming home. My automatic thought was “Why?”

There have been other times in my life that I’ve asked God “Why?” The day I lost a job that I had worked at for 10 years. When my dad unexpectedly passed away the day before his 64th birthday. For the past 8 years I’ve been wondering why God has given me a chronic invisible illness that practically keeps me homebound. Over and over I ask why He takes our loved ones home to heaven when we are not ready. Have you had times like these that you have asked “Why?”

I’ve listened to many teachers, preachers, psychologists and the like, who have tried to give reasons why we endure these things. Well, I refuse to speculate as to why these things happen; instead I want to see what Jesus has to say.

In John 9:1-5 the disciples had a situation where they wanted to know “Why?” Please take a look at those verses. Jesus and His disciples came upon a man who had been blind since birth. The disciples wanted to know, “Why is he blind? Did he sin or did his parents sin?” Be honest. How often do you hear of someone who gets cancer or another awful disease, gets in a car wreck, loses their job, etc. and you think “They must be a baaaad sinner!” We all do it. At least I know I do. In the Jewish culture it was very prevalent. That was their belief. If you sinned you were punished by God with an ailment or something worse. However, that is NOT what Jesus says in verse 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (Emphasis added) Wow! Wow! Wow!

Does that make you step back and re-evaluate some of the things you’ve gone through in your life? It does me!

Let’s look at one of my “why” moments. How about my chronic illness? I deal with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I hoped that after losing my job and the initial “resting period”, I would begin to improve, and eventually return to a “normal” life. That has not happened. As I stated, it has been 8 years and I am extremely fatigued and in pain everyday. Four years ago, after feeling very lonely and isolated, God directed me to Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies. I had been receiving Proverbs 31 daily devotions in my email for a long time prior to that. However connecting with thousands of women online studying the Bible together through P31OBS, refreshed my soul. Soon I became part of a small group and I got to know other women personally as we studied and discovered God’s truths together. Finally in October 2015 I began to volunteer. It’s just one more way to connect with other women. All of this I can do from the comfort of my home, on my schedule! I believe God has taken my frustrating illness and shown me that part of the reason for it is…”so that the works of God might be displayed in Angie.”

I would love for you to share a “Why” that God is changing, or has changed into something “SO THAT the works of God might be displayed in YOU.”


Living in Grace,

Angie