Why, Lord?

I stared at the news headline from a former town I lived in: Woman dead after car hits bicycle. I strained my eyes to read the name over and over. Diane Ruby. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! Diane was one of those friends you may not see for a long time, but you pick up where you left off. She was charismatic, creative, fun-loving, and a committed follower of Jesus.

I can’t seem to shake that Diane is no longer on this earth. I mourn her loss and pray so much for her family who are readjusting to life without her. Why, Lord?

Her death has reminded me of my own mortality. Job 12:10 says “The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.” There are things in this life that we can’t control, one being, the day we die. We have no control over that. 

We don’t determine the number of days we have on this earth and that can be scary. We can’t fix the spread of COVID and that can be scary. We can’t control what happens in our country and that can be scary. We can’t even control what people think and say about us and that can be scary. We can’t control the impact COVID has on our jobs, finances, and future and that can be scary.

All these things can be scary, for sure. For me, my relationship with God has made them less scary. Oh, I may find myself struggling with fear or anxiety about COVID, but when I spend time in Scriptures and give God my fears, my heart is changed. I understand that God loves me and I can see his sovereignty in a whole new light. I can trust that He's got the whole world in His hands.

We live in a fallen world where there is pain and sickness and death. But, when we seek God for help, we can turn to His might, His wisdom and His peace. Any problem we face can be brought to Him. And…God longs for a relationship with each one of us that goes far beyond our problems! He loves us so much and longs to do life with us. That's beyond cool!

Today, you may not understand why certain things happen as they do. You may feel very helpless in your current circumstances. But, I encourage you, to turn to the One who is able to weather any storm. He will see you through.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.