Why?

I, like many of you, have a large capacity filing cabinet of sorts in my mind that holds all kinds of stories.

Some are funny.

Some are romantic.

Some are heroic.

Others are ugly and horrific.

This last folder of stories I like to keep locked up and occasionally, I wish my mind had a shredder like I have in my office. I will not share any of these stories. You have your own. These are the stories that make you ask, “Why?”

It would be ridiculous and prideful for me to tell you I have “the” answer for why all they bad things in the world happen. I do; however, have an answer. You decide if you agree.

My answer is not that people are evil, nor God is angry. Both of these have been true. Still, the answer is more complex.

All people are not evil but, they are all selfish and self preserving. I am included.

God is not angry. He is Love. 

Okay, keep reading… you can disagree later if you wish.

Once upon a time these two things did not mix. Mankind distrusted God and in selfish greed and fear, they fell from God’s favor. This we know of as “the Fall” because they fell from favor. It is also called “the curse” because modern scripture translates the following as such.

Mankind had to face some consequences. From then on things would be hard. In fact, they would not make it alive on their own. From then on they would no longer have God walking with them and helping them directly with their problems... helping them survive.

Mankind couldn’t even make it one generation.

Mankind, then Adam and Eve, decided they wanted to separate from His will and from His help and protection in hiding. He let them. 

He is not a controlling God.

This not only left us unshielded from problems, it brought on problems because mankind does not have the mind of God. Men and women don’t love like God. Mankind is selfish and self preserving. This plays out in every “sin” there is. And every sin there is has a consequence. God named a few in the Genesis story, but we have seen many, many more play out through out time.

God’s word pretty much tells mankind that if they murder, steal, have an affair, lie, etc., etc. that there will be consequences. In scripture these actions are called “sins.”  In courts they are called charges. On television, they are called news stories. In my office, they are called wrongs done.

No matter what you call them. They hurt others. The “why” is triggered by or brought on by selfishness and self preservation. These are the roots of all pain.

Oh, unless you are talking about “natural disasters” right? Well, no, not really. Remember the fall?

Mankind was supposed to live within the safety of "the garden” where God would be taking care of them. There would have been no disasters there. They certainly would not be natural.

None of this was supposed to happen. We weren’t supposed to suffer these things, whatever you call them.

These things weren’t supposed to happen so we don’t have programming regarding how to deal with it. We do the best we can, but in our humanity we often hurt others as we scurry around to pick up the mess or hide to deal with our wounds.

Yes, good counsel helps in part, but really the only help is to call upon the one that is willing and can. He is the same one mankind turned away from and hid from. As long as mankind continues, the consequences will continue as well.