@JeanneTakenaka +Jeanne Takenaka
Our Five Minute Friday prompt this week is—WHY. This largely unedited “rough draft” form of writing stretches this perfectionist, in the best of ways. We write for five minutes on a given word. If you’re interested in learning more about 5-Minute Fridays, check out the Five Minute Friday website. Or, click on the link at the bottom of this post. As you read my simpler Friday posts, I hope you’ll join in the conversation!
WHY
When I saw the word for tonight, an old Point of Grace song came to mind.
I thought about the heartbreak in the news this week of the school shooting in Florida. I’m not sure I’m ready to write about this yet. As I prayed and pondered about what I would share, “Who Am I?” came to mind. It’s comforted me on the roads of heartache.
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There are so many questions in my mind, my heart, that begin with Why?
There are times when I wish I had the answers, the capability of understanding the workings and secrets of God.
I don’t understand the why’s of being rejected by my peers as a child and the heartache that season inflicted on me.
I don’t understand why God allowed my husband and me to be unable to bear biological children when teen moms could and aborted. I don’t understand why we walked for years on the infertility road.
This is what I know. There are going to be questions I will never see answered this side of heaven. Just because God may not choose to answer my Whys, doesn’t mean He doesn’t love me, or that He loves me less than others.
When my eyes are wrapped up in the whys of my own life, I am me-focused.
Maybe the better questions to ponder revolve around Him.
Why would He choose to love me, and all the people He’s ever created? Why would He pour out His grace on us, even when we sin against Him and each other? Even when we walk away from Him?
Why would He choose to strengthen His children to walk through this life’s hard with His light shining through us?
Why?
One word: LOVE
We may not understand why things happen in our world. They break our hearts. Hurt us to our cores.
We may feel oh, so alone sometimes. Lost.
We’re not.
In those seasons when we ask WHY . . .
. . . we are single
. . . Married to _____
. . . Unemployed
. . . Working in a difficult job
. . . Losing a loved one
. . . Dealing with cancer and illness
. . . Devastated by life’s heartbreaks
Those are the seasons we should be seeking God Himself rather than answers.
Sometimes the answers are beyond our understanding.
But our Father? He is intimately acquainted with us. He loves us. He walks with us in the midst of the hardest seasons. He knows the answers we’re ready for, and the ones we’re not ready for.
Maybe when we want to ask why, we can choose to trust instead, to rest in His love and care for us?
What about you? How do you respond when God offers silence in answer to your Why? When has God given you an answer to your why?
Click to Tweet: Why would He choose to love me, and all the people He’s ever created?
Linking up with Five Minute Friday—WHY
Jeanne Takenaka 
😦 So many sad things. I love where you took this–why is a ‘me-focused’ attitude. I’ve never thought about it this way before. The song that comes to my mind is Chris Rice’s song about saving up questions for heaven :).
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That’s a fun song, Anita. And yeah, lots of questions that won’t be answered here. May we both be intentional about focusing on Jesus, especially when we don’t understand. So thankful for you, friend. Have a great weekend!
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You’re taking me back with good ole Point of Grace! All your whys hit home. Why the silence, Lord? Why the pain? I seem to come back to this question: why does it hurt so badly? All the time? Why can’t we feel it less? I know hurt happens. But why so much? So yes, I ask questions and write poems and pray for help and others to shed light. Thank you, Jeanne! Miss you, friend.
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Awww, I’m glad I’m not the only POG girl, Christina. 🙂 I’m so thankful that we can always turn to prayer when we don’t understand. And though God may not give us an answer, He always hears and meets us in our point of need, doesn’t He?
I miss you too, friend! Tons!
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Good question… I most just wait, sometimes I rail, but mostly… I just wait because there’s always hope waiting around the corner.
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I love your optimistic outlook, Annette. There’s always hope waiting around the corner. I’m so thankful God never leaves us, even when He chooses not to answer our questions. I’m glad He isn’t a React-or when we rail. ‘Cuz I’ve sure been there. 🙂 Thank you for your insight!
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Good morning, Jeanne. This is straight from your heart, and mine. As God has shone His light on my pride and me-focus, the why’s have trailed off. Though when random violence happens, why rears its ugly head. I appreciate and value your post today, pointing our why’s to His character. I had to do the same to come to terms with the recent happenings. May your Friday be blessed, Julie
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Julie, it is true. I don’t ask “Why” as often as I did when I was younger. But, like you, they still come. I choose to remember that God is still good, even when bad things happen in our world. I hope you have a beautiful weekend!
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Jeanne such beautiful thoughts. I’ve experienced some of those same whys and in answer to your question of God’s answer to my and my kids whys – had we not experienced all the sufferings of miscarriages and infertility – we would not be experiencing the joys today of my two children and now five grandchildren. He was a hard road, but I can’t imagine life without them and would go through it all again. Trying to put my words in writing today.
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Debbie, God has answered some of my why’s. And I love what you shared about how He’s answered some of yours. I’m glad He doesn’t leave all the answers to wait until we’re face-to-face with Him. I know the things God taught me during those dark days will always stay with me. It’s pretty amazing how He can use us to share with others walking through hard times, isn’t it? I so appreciate your insights!
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This was excellent!
I liked your statement about wondering over the why’s of our lives leaves us “me – focused ”
Great point.
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Somer, so glad you enjoyed the post. God is good, isn’t He? I’m glad He gives us space to ask the why’s, but we need to be careful not to become consumed by them, don’t we? Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
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Jeanne, we need to remember this, don’t we? God chose to love us and our enemies and those who don’t seem to deserve it. Learning to choose love, too…
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Choosing love is a process for me, Annie. But, I guess as we are intentional about choosing love over hate or anger or other things, God meets us there and helps us to love well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts today. 🙂
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John Denver said it best in “Looking For Space”; sometimes the answer is just that it’s just that way.
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So true, Andrew. Sometimes that is the only answer we’ll receive. I’m praying for you, friend.
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“We should be seeking God Himself rather than answers.” Wow, Jeanne! Those words are profound and have touched me today. I’m going to have to really let them sink in and begin to apply them to my life! Thank you for sharing so honestly your wisdom! Cindy Wilkins
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Cindy, I’m so glad God used these words to touch you. We learn to apply some lessons gradually, don’t we? May He continue to speak to you through this weekend. I’m so glad you visited!
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Such a thought provoking post. You really have me thinking about those Why questions I ask. And you can’t go wrong with Point of Grace. I’m in the 50 spot this week.
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Getting you thinking is a good thing . . . right? 😉 I’m so glad to meet another POG girl. 😉 Have a great weekend, Tara!
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“Why would He choose to love me, and all the people He’s ever created? Why would He pour out His grace on us, even when we sin against Him and each other? Even when we walk away from Him?”
Those are great questions that the cross answers so boldly, so directly, doesn’t it? I am in awe of His great love, a love I will never understand other than to trust and know that it exists, even in times as those in which we live. I am comforted by your words here, Jeanne, and can see a sincere application of His grace in your life. Thank you as always for seeing beauty in the ashes.
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Erendira, so sorry it’s taken me a few days to get back here. Life with kids . . . always unpredictable.
You’re right, Erendira. The cross does answer all those questions. God’s love overwhelms me with how complete and all-consuming it is. I think we continue to grow in His grace and operating in it as we grow in our relationship with Him.
Thanks so much for your encouraging words.
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I could so fully relate to your questions and I have had many of my own. I can look back on them now and even now guess on what I believe God’s purpose was. I think I am right on several, but I surely wont know until Heaven. That is why I love your point about focusing on the Lord not on the questions. I ultimately want a deeper relationship with him and all the problems and all the whys have definitely brought me closer to God.
I don’t think I ask “why?” so much anymore, but I definitely have my own form. It seems to be more of a “how long?” kind of thing. Time to renew my focus. 🙂
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Kelly, I think there are some trials we can look back on and see at least a glimpse of God’s purpose. I’ve got a few in my life that I don’t think I’ll understand this side of heaven. I’ve seen how the questions, if I focus too much on them, will be discouraging and disheartening. Changing our perspective can make all the difference, can’t it?
Thank you for sharing a bit of your story here. 🙂
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