“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; then I would have been at rest with kings and counselors of the earth, who built ruins for themselves, or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light?” Job 3:11-16
Have you ever heard anyone say, “I wish I had never been born”? Have you ever said that yourself, or felt like saying it? If so, it was probably during some crisis in your life. Something happened that seemed to come at exactly the wrong time. We have an epigram that we call Murphy’s Law that expresses this idea of despair. Murphy’s Law states that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” We plan a picnic, and it rains; we are running late and have to stop at every red light; we finally find the time to mow the grass and the lawnmower will not start. We feel like there is a dark cloud that just follows us around and rains on every parade.
In the King James Version of the Bible, the word “why” is found 282 times. This is an average of once in every four chapters. In the New King James Version “why” is found 430 times. As noted in the passage above, Job wondered why he was born. Jesus asked the question, “Why have You forsaken Me” (Matt. 27:46)? Gideon pondered why bad things were happening (Jud. 6:11-13). Asaph bemoaned the prosperity of the wicked while the righteous suffered: “Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning” (Psa. 73:11-14).
We live in a fallen world in which good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. It seems there is always inequity. The wise man says, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered” (Eccl. 1:14-15). While he speaks disparagingly about life “under the sun,” yet he concludes the book with a reason for hope. He tells us, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14). There is a God who sees and knows.
We usually ask, “Why me” with the idea that we are suffering unjustly in some way. Kris Kristopherson encourages us to ask “why” in another way in his song “Why Me, Lord?” written in 1972: “Why me Lord, what have I ever done / To deserve even one / Of the pleasures I’ve known? Tell me Lord, what did I ever do / That was worth loving You / Or the kindness You’ve shown? / Lord help me Jesus, / I’ve wasted it so / help me Jesus, I know what I am. / Now that I know / that I’ve needed you so / Help me Jesus, / my soul’s in Your hand.” Have you ever wondered why you have been so blessed? It can be a refreshing view to consider.
When we feel burdened down, Peter reminds us: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
L Scott Gage
