Adam Hamilton tells a story of a young woman who was a part of Church of the Resurrection,
“A woman in my congregation, after years of fertility treatments, finally conceived. She and her husband were filled with joy. But early in the pregnancy she became extremely ill. By her fifth month, doctors informed her that if she continued to try to carry the child to term, she would not survive. While she was willing to take that risk, her family was not. The child was unable to survive outside the womb. The baby died, and the mother lived.
She wrote to tell me of the experience. ‘I had never wrestled with the will of God. Now my life and faith depended upon it. I had always thought God could and would do anything if enough people prayed—but people had and God didn’t. Who was God? What good is God?’[1]
This young woman ultimately turned away from God and faith after this circumstance. And maybe this isn’t a popular thought, but . . . could you blame her?
IF your idea of God is that God is the one who controls all things (the puppeteer God).
If God is a puppeteer and we pray, others pray, and the answers do not come in the way we desire, then why not be angry with God? What good is God if babies die, if we try with all our might to achieve something and it remains unachievable?
There are a few things that are undisputable in Scripture . . .
God is Good.
God is Love.
If God is Good and God is Love, then we can reconcile our difficult circumstances to mean that God is present in them with us, not causing them, also not magically whisking them away . . . but continually using all of the parts/pieces of that place in our journey.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
When we pray, “Why?” – we can trust that God hears our prayers and in ways we may never fully understand, God accompanies us in that journey providing what we need to make it through. Peace, Strength, and Love.
Why is the prayer of lament.
- This is a prayer we offer in the dark seasons after we have gone through exasperation, desperation, and then refusal because the difficult circumstances have gone on for far too long.
- Having spent our rage, we move into a place having lost our hope and we are resigned to accept that this circumstance is beyond our control.
- With a feeble cry we turn to God and cry, “Why?”
“Why” acknowledges that we do not have the answers BUT it dares to hope that there are still some answers out there to be had.
WHY is seasoned faith at work!
Take sometime now to pray, “Why?”
[1] http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/25752-why-do-prayers-go-unanswered#WDFZLcX0R1cLcQPd.99