Why Not Me?

In his book, Good Call: Reflections on Faith, Family, and Fowl, Jase Robertson, who you may know from Duck Dynasty, writes about the adversity of his daughter’s health while she was still in the womb. “We asked, ‘Why is this happening to us?’ It was three or four months of misery.” This is often a question people ask when bad things happen; we start to think about what we did to deserve what’s happening to us. (Which is interesting for the Christian, since we know it’s not about what we deserve when we think about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, so why would the bad stuff be about what we deserve?) But Jase and his wife, Missy, had a revelation: 

“But after the initial shock, we began to say, ‘You know what? We are not going to ask, ‘Why us?’ We are going to ask ‘Why not us?’ (…) Our trust in God allows us the ability to overcome any obstacles that come our way.”

What a powerful revelation! Why not me? When cancer threatens, why not me? When paperwork is not completed and simple tasks become more difficult, why not me? When a sickness ravages the body and the doctors can give no answer, why not me? Why me comes from a place of lost desperation. Why not me is a statement of strength and determination; it is, in fact, a statement of faith. If Jesus is your solid foundation and He is the Rock on which you stand, then He has equipped you for the storms of this life. The winds and rains will beat against you, but you will not fail if you stand on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ, living your life in obedience to Him.

“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

If we truly believe these verses, then asking ourselves, “Why not me?” should be easy. In John 9, we have an example of the disciples asking, “Why him?” after they came across a man who was blind from birth.

“‘It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,’ Jesus answered. ‘This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.’” (John 9:3)

There is the key: it’s not because of anything someone did, but it may very well be so the power of God could be seen in you. It’s how you handle the situation, it’s how you respond to the situation. When you are met with frustrating circumstances, handle it like someone who knows Christ—handle it with grace and demonstrate patience. Use every inconvenient situation as an opportunity to grow in the Spirit and the Way.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23)

The next time you are facing challenges in life that have you feeling like asking, “Why me?” remember that God is always with you, always fighting for you; see the moment as an opportunity for those around you to see the power of God and ask yourself, “Why not me?”

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.