If God is Love, then why…?
By Erin Lamb

Have you struggled with the concept that God is a God of love because of the why’s of life? You know the why’s: why did this happen, why does this keep happening, why aren’t my prayers being answered, why do bad things happen to good people? Have you been there? Have you asked those questions or similar questions? If so, you are not alone. Job asked questions. David asked questions. God is not offended by questions. He longs to relate to us.

The truth is there is something in us that desires heaven on earth now, for the wrongs to be made right, and for the world to make sense. The complete fullness of heaven will be a reality, when Jesus returns and reigns. We experience some of it now, but the best is yet to come. All the world will be flooded with His love and presence. So what do we do in the meantime?

Well, I dare not attempt to answer all the why’s. That would be a book and not a blog. I also don’t know the answer to all the why’s. What I can do is share one personal experience with you and what I learned.

The year after I graduated from college one of the closest people to me was diagnosed with cancer. How I loved (love) her. She was the one who would sit on the front porch with me when I was kid, who’d entertain my silliness, and there’s no one in the world like her. She radiated God’s love.

We believed God for healing. We prayed. We prayed some more! We believed God. We were trusting God. We just knew God would heal her. I sat with her some days just watching her waste away. I watched her in pain. This person who was kind, loving, a great mom, a great friend, a great sunday school teacher, a bright light in the community. She was dying. Sitting with the dying is emotionally traumatic. You want to fix it, immediately. You press in for breakthrough like it’s your own life that depends on it.

Well, breakthrough didn’t come. The day she died, I felt like all the air left my body. I felt as though my heart might burst into a million pieces. I cried. I continued to cry until I felt all the tears had left my body. I thought for a moment, “Why God?” A song eventually erupted in my heart. There was worship in the midst of the anguish, which had to be His Spirit springing forth to comfort mine.

It was one of the worst days of my life. I knew God could do anything. I knew He could heal. I’d seen too much not to believe. So why not now? Well, years later here are a few things my heart has settled on.

1. We live in a sinful world. Life doesn’t always make sense to my mind, but everything God does is in love, even if I can’t see it or explain it. He is always good. He’s perfect.

2. God heals cancer. It doesn’t matter what one situation looks like; He is the healer. If it doesn’t happen, it isn’t because He can’t do it, or He’s trying to prove a point. I also believe He doesn’t cause sickness, there is no sickness in heaven. Sickness and death entered the world due to sin. So you keep praying for the sick and pursuing breakthrough. Jesus told the disciples to heal the sick.

3. His comfort and love are able to sustain a person through the worst of situations. He’s the best friend we could ever have. He draws near when we can’t even lift our heads to pray.

4. He is overflowing with compassion. There is nothing that affects our hearts that does not touch His heart. He is not distant, cold, or unfeeling. He runs towards the hurting.

5. Going through challenges builds compassion for others. Without compassion, there is no genuine love. We cannot love people and not be touched by what happens to them.

6. God is in the hard stuff, always willing to help, we just don’t often see it due to our pain or lack of understanding.

7. There is always something good that can come from the unfortunate things in life if we invite Him into it. He will give us beauty for ashes, joy for sorrow, and love for pain.

8. Jesus understands. If you read about His life on earth, He was rejected, betrayed, sold out for money, and abused. He knows what it feels like to suffer. And He’s the best person to turn to during the hard times.

I conclude this entry by saying, instead of trying to figure out all the why’s, climb up into His arms, and let Him love you. Invite Him into the pain. Invite Him into the questions. Trust that He is good, and He is love. I couldn’t say that if I hadn’t gone through some pretty challenging things in life. I won’t list them all. I gave you one peak inside this mended heart. I still have moments of somber reflections, but they are bathed in the revelation that no one ever has or ever will love me the way He does. One moment with Him trumps the pain, the grief, the battles, and challenges. He’s better than we can even imagine! God=Love

Next post will hopefully be an entry from the book written during some of the challenging times. Praying for you friends. Hang in there. You are deeply loved…