Why were both my brother and daughter born with disabilities?
Why did my father die so soon?
Why did my maternal grandmother die when my mom was 10?
Why did my friends die of cancer?
Why has my life been so blessed?
Why have I remained healthy while others suffer?
Why does life have so many ups and downs?
Why do I feel close to God sometimes but distant at other times?
Why is there so much suffering, pain, and destruction in life?
Why is there so much joy, beauty, and wonder in life?
Why?
On that day you will not question me about anything. – John 16:23
Today, I found this sentence striking. I do have a lot of questions for God. I have questions about life and love, sickness and suffering, and the entire story of my life. I have questions about serious matters and trivial ones. However, He tells me, “On that day you will not question me about anything.“
This sentence from John fills my heart with hope. It is a hope born of faith in the One who is the beginning and the end of all things; the One who makes all things new.
I have heard life described as a tapestry. While it is being created we see nothing but the back side with all of its wildly beautiful colors and nasty strings.
It is only when the tapestry is finished and we turn to the finished side that we see the full picture.
Our lives are just like that. Today we only see the colors; the colors of pain, joy, beauty, suffering, sickness, strength, purpose, despair, and so much more. As we look at life, it often doesn’t make any sense. When life doesn’t make sense, we cry out with questions that are usually prefaced with “why”.
A wise priest once told me that when I am tempted to ask God, “WHY?”, I should rearrange – reverse the letters to YHW. He said this does two things in our spiritual life. First, YHW can become an acronym for Your Holy Will. In other words, it is the echo of Mary, “Be it done unto me” and Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Second, YHW reminds us of the YaHWeh; it reminds us that God is in control. He is the master weaver and we need only be patient until he reveals the final image.
Thankfully, our good Lord gives us glimpses of the tapestry our lives during our lifetime if we but ask. With time and prayer He reveals His will and ways. He shows us how He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). However, the full image remains unclear, clouded until we enter into eternity. It is at that point that we “…will not question [Him] about anything”. In eternity all questions will be answered when we see the full tapestry not only of our individual life but how our life is an important section of the full tapestry of time. We will see how our life is intertwined with every other life.
You may argue that your tapestry is dull, dark, and stained with sin. The Lord replies, “…though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) God, the Master Weaver, can make good come from your sins and use even those to create His masterpiece.
Trust Him, turn to Him and let us one day together gaze upon His masterpiece in joy; no longer asking questions but knowing that God’s love has been working through us weaving the tapestry of eternity.
James M. Hahn, Author 