Why Me?

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A friend of mine just got engaged…

When good things happen to us, there is a two word question rarely, although sometimes, get’s asked. But this same question seems to get asked a lot when bad things happen to us? And usually we never get the answer to the question.

Last winter I was backing the Jeep out of the garage, there was snow all over the ground but I had to get somewhere. As I was pulling forward then going backwards, again and again, something happened that made me ask this same two word questions?

The Jeep wouldn’t move when put in reverse.

WHY ME?

Create Tension

We all probably asked this question at some times in our lives.

Maybe you asked “Why me?”

when someone close to you dies unexpectedly

when you found out you had cancer or some other illness

when you lost your job

when your close friend betrayed you

or you found yourself in an unmanageable financial situation

Is there a satisfying answer to that question?

Well that is what I want to look at this morning?

Provide Solution

When you talk about people in the Bible who had a seemingly legitimate right to ask “Why Me?’ there is one individual who stands out.

Let’s look at his story.

Job 1:1–12 (NLT)

1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

4 Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. 5 When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

6 One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 7 “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

12 “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

Quick Recap…

Job is Rich and blameless with complete integrity.

God draws Satan’s attention to Job.

Satan accuses Job of serving God because of God’s favor on Job’s life.

God give Satan permission to attach Job.

Why did God call him blameless and upright? It wasn’t because he obeyed the mosaic law, it wasn’t around yet.

When did Job live? About 2200.

The book makes no mention of

the descendants of Abraham

It makes no mention of the mosaic law

According to job 42:15 Job gave an inheritance to his daughters which was contrary to numbers 27 & 36.

When adding up the events of Job’s life it seems like he would have been least a couple hundred years old when he died, which would put him around the time of Abraham or before

Knowing he didn’t have the mosaic law, what made him blameless with complete integrity?

I think the key to understanding this is in vs. 5.

5 When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

Job offered burnt offerings for his children because he believe they may have “cursed God in their hearts…

With God it always comes back to the matters of the heart!

So we have this blameless man filled with integrity that God allowed to face suffering at the hands of Satan.

This was not of his own doing. Many times we face difficulties but they are of our own doing.

There seems to be no justification for the blameless and upright man to be suffering at the hands of Satan.

What did he suffer, he lost everything…

vs 1:15 says Sabeans attached and made off with all his donkeys

vs 1:16 says fire from the heavens burned up the sheep

vs 1:17 says the Chaldeans swept down on your camels and made off with them.

vs 1:19 says a mighty wind swept in and the house collapsed and all his children died

Job’s response Job 1:21–22

“21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Satan’s second attack on Job came in the form of a physical ailment.

Job’s wife didn’t understand his integrity and told Job to “curse God and die!”

Job had lost everything we hold dear to us, his possessions, his family, and his health. It anyone had a reason to ask, “WHY ME?” it was Job.

There is a guy in the New Testament that also may had a reason to ask “Why Me?” This person faced many things

(2 Corinthians 11)

He was punished almost to the point of death five times

He was beaten with rods three times

he was shipwrecked three times

stoned once

adrift as sea a night and a day

he often faced severe hunger and thirst

spent time in prison

had sleepless nights

and was in danger from rivers, robbers, Jews, Gentiles

found danger in the city, in the wilderness and at sea

And he faced all this while spreading the Gospel!

He had a reason to ask “Why Me?” His name, Paul!

Just like Job and Paul, many of us ask the question “Why Me?”

Lord…

Why did you allow me to I lose my job?

Why did you allow me to have to deal with cancer or another severe illness?

Why did you allow me to be hurt by betrayed?

Why did you allow others to spread false gossip about me?

Why did you allow my car to break down?

Why did you allow my loved one to die unexpectedly?

Why Me?

The Same God that Responded to Job’s and Paul’s suffering also wants to respond to yours!

Unfortunately many people just want to complain about their situation instead of listen to God’s response.

God Responds to our Situation to Make Us Better, Not Bitter!

Complaining makes you bitter.

Paul faced all his suffering without becoming bitter or complaining about what he had to endure.

He did this because he had the right perspective…

Philippians 3:8 “8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”

For all the good things Paul had or was, he considered nothing compared to knowing Christ. That is what made all his suffering worth while.

For Paul there was purpose for all his suffering and many times we see the purpose behind our suffering, but what about when we don’t see the purpose

What about when our suffering seems useless like with Job?

Let’s go back to Job’s life and see how God responds to him.

After Job loses all his possessions, his family, his health he Job 3:1–2 “1 At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. 2 He said:”

In fact all of chapter 3 is about Job complaining. God finally responds to job and basically says your being stupid!

Job 38:1–3 “1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? 3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.”

God then spends the rest of the chapter taking Job on a audio tour of the cosmos.

Asks Job about things he can’t comprehend… if he was there when the foundation of the earth was laid.

Asks about his knowledge of the clouds, rain, snow, rising of the sun and it’s setting, how about the depths of the sea. then he moves the the stars and their placing in the heaves and how they move.

God then asks Job about things he comprehends but has no control over

The way of the animals and life on earth…

Wild animals and their birthing, hinting for food, where their strength comes from or how they can soar…

What about the behemoth or the leviathan…can you control them?

When things happen we don’t understand, we need listen to God’s response and acknowledge as Job did…’

Job 42:2–6 “2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.””

We need to remember that…

God Knows Exactly What he is Doing, Even when I Don’t!

Encourage Change

I want to encourage you in your struggle for answers to “Why Me?”

Job 42:12 “12 So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning.

When we remain faithful to God his blessing will come, sometimes in this life as with Job, and sometimes we have to wait until we see heaven, as with Paul.