I've always believed that everything happened for a reason. Although we may not know the purpose at the time, it may be relieved to us later and then we'll understand. But there are just somethings I don't think I'll ever understand. One of these things became aware to me on my families recent vacation to Orlando.
We stayed at a resort called Give Kids the World. It is a village designed for families of children with life threatening illnesses. I came to terms with my understanding of why my daughter had her illness and I knew we would encounter other families that were in a similar boat as us. Then one day I met Ed.
Ed and his family is from Cleavland, Ohio. Ed was there with his wife and his daughter. They were the nicest family and Ed, the nicest man! After talking with Ed for some time, we found out his daughter has Leukemia. And her prognosis is dire. She won't get better.
Afterward, I thought about Ed and his family. London (his daughter) was his only child. Why would the Lord give you one child, just to take them from you? And not just take them from you, but take them from you in such a way (leukemia). The loss of a child is the worst thing a family can endure, but especially if you're then left childless afterwards.
My husband has different religious views than I do. So when I mentioned the heart break I felt for this family, losing their only child, his response was, "Everything you say about your God, tell me how that is fair. Tell me how a loving God would make his children endure that." It set bad with me, but it also added to my inability to understand WHY. I was always raised to never to question the acts of the Lord, but my heart wonders, if everything happens for a reason, what is Ed's families reason? A mother and fathers only child given then taken away. And taken away from a painful, long illness.
Someone help me understand.......
I have a post coming up next week, that kind of has my beliefs about this question. But, what it comes down to, is WHY you believe what you believe. It sounds like you were just raised that way.... but does it REALLY make sense to you? Is it something you truly believe? Or is it something that is just a comfort to rely on.... that you can just leave things in His hands, and that His actions are always for a reason? I do believe everything happens for a reason, but I don't think there was a man with a plan. Maybe London has positivly affected the lives of others. Maybe her parents were going through a rough patch int heir marriage and she saved it by being there and having something for them to bond over. Maybe she is here to make people question things, as you have.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you are in such painful circumstances. Check out Ann Voskamps blog A Holy Experience or her book, 1000 Gifts for some answers. God's word says, Psalm 34, everywhere, that God is good, so even though we don't always understand we can know that He is always good.
ReplyDeleteSince one of our children died shortly before birth, I have found myself asking many of the same questions.
ReplyDeleteFor starters, I believe that the God I've known for 20_ yrs, He doesn't kill babies.
Second, I do think He knows all and knows how long each of us have to live. He COULD intervene but often does not. I do not know why some people get miracles and some don't.
Third, my belief is that the world is a fallen world. We see in Genesis where Adam and Eve first sinned. Since then, the world has gotten worse and worse. We no longer live in the garden of Eden. We now have death and pain and sickness. God created our world and allows it to run biologically....which sometimes includes death or illness.
Did that make any sense at all?