God’s answer to “Why?”
Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Why?
That question is asked so often in so many varying circumstances. At the root of that querying word is the desire to understand the cause or reason for something occurring. It is a favorite question of young and old alike. It is posed out of curiosity and anger as well. It is directed at humans as well as Almighty God himself.
You have probably figured out (although you likely don’t want to accept it) that oftentimes there is not a clear or immediate answer to our “why” questions. Did you ever notice that we often assume that the answer to the “why?” is not good.
There are many people in the Bible who asked “why” and oftentimes in some rather interesting or difficult circumstances. Our verse for this week comes from the end of the story of Joseph – perhaps you remember him as the Old Testament figure who was given a coat of many colors by his father and the whole situation made his brothers very jealous so they horribly mistreated him.
If you read that whole story (Genesis chapters 37-50) you will see that while the answer to the “why?” question about how Joseph’s brothers treated him was in their minds “Because he was our father’s favorite and he had it coming”, Joseph realized that God’s answer was much different. If you read those 14 chapters you will see how God used what was intended as evil on the part of Joseph’s brothers to shape Joseph into a very blessed man of God.
Think for a moment of the circumstances where you have or might ask “why?”. If we give an honest survey of those situations, we will probably have to admit that in almost, if not every, circumstance we looked at the situation solely, and likely selfishly, through human eyes and wondered what it meant for us.
At the end of a number of years God gave Joseph the wisdom and maturity to look back over the entire circumstance and see that while his brothers had planned and desired only harm and evil for him, ultimately God had a much higher and better circumstance and plan in mind.
How quickly we ask “why?” and then jump to conclusions about things, assuming many things which we really do not know. How often we fail to trust our loving and almighty Father in heaven, knowing that he always has the best in mind for us (Romans 8:28).
Realistically, before we ask “why?”, we should ask God to purge us of doubt and unbelief and forgive our human selfishness and worry.
The story of Joseph is a great lesson in understanding our ways and our mindset in contrast to the good and perfect plans of God. The next time you want to ask “why?’ seek to understand God’s reason for the situation, his desire for you and his perfect plan. We may not always see or know that immediately or even this side of heaven, but we can and must trust in God’s purpose.