Saturday night, October 18, Mike and I were driving home from the Landmark Center near downtown Indianapolis, where Mike performed the wedding ceremony for a friend of Anna's from high school and college. Although we only knew the bride, we had a great time visiting with family members and guests at our table.
We were thankful to end the day with a happy occasion because we spent the morning visiting two families prior to funeral services for a beloved grandfather and young son. Less than a week ago, we attended another funeral for a colleague of Mike's who died swiftly from a rapid spreading form of cancer.
Mike and I discussed the events of the past eight days, mentioning the question that appears repeatedly when unfortunate circumstances come in the lives of people ... Why do bad things happen to good people?
Mike said, "Why don't we ask ... 'Why am I blessed? Why do good things happen? We have no better answer to when good things happen than we do when bad things happen.'
His comment brought a shift in perspective. When unfortunate and unexplained happenings come our way, we struggle and ask, "Why?" When we travel safely to work or to the store, when we share fun times with family and friends, when we have an 'uneventful' annual physical, when we read a book with an interesting plot that helps us relax, when we take a walk that is refreshing, when we have a day where everything goes smoothly, do we ask, 'Why did good things happen today?"
Do we thank God for our good life or do we take for granted uneventful moments and roll them into the folds of our heart with nonchalance?
How do you respond when good things happen?
Prayer: God, our days can be a mixture of challenge and peace. Help us give thanks at all times knowing you are with us to celebrate and care. Amen.
Your Mike sure is wise--why *don't* we ask why good things happen? It's the same basic question, isn't it? Why does one person get blessed and another person doesn't? What is a blessing, anyway? Good perspective-changer here. Reminds me of that line from the Sermon on the Mount, "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
ReplyDeleteWell said! We have ingrown vision. A friend had a daughter w/severe disabilities. "Why Annie?" she asked her husband. "Why not?" he replied. We need to figure out the really important questions of life.
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