Session 24

When you find yourself asking, "Why me?

From Jeremiah: A 33-Day Devotional

We all face troubles and trials of many kinds. The reasons aren’t always clear, and it often seems unfair. When difficulty comes, it can be easy to slip into sulking and asking, “Why Me?”

Around 600 years before Jesus was born, many Israelites were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon as slaves. These were law-abiding, skilled contributors to society. Even though it was King Nebuchadnezzar who took them away, it was God who said, “I sent them away.” Though God was behind their exile into slavery, He told Jeremiah this exile was for Israel’s good in order to save their lives.

Exiled Israelites felt like God had abandoned them and many assumed they would never return home, but God said, “My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land.” They were devastated, but God said, “I will build them up, not tear them down.” They felt uprooted, but God said, “I will plant them and not uproot them.” Their hearts were heavy, but God said, “I will give them a heart to know Me.” Hope may have seemed far away, but God said, “They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.”

If we could look at our sufferings through the eyes of God, we would see an amazing thing: Every tough time is an opportunity to experience God’s faithfulness in a new way. We go through what we go through so we can develop perseverance. Perseverance will lead to character. Character will lead to hope, and hope never disappoints (Romans 5:3-5). When we see our trials as an opportunity to grow closer to Jesus, our pain no longer seems pointless.

Reflect:

• Have you ever been through a tough season where you just wanted to ask, “Why me?” What did God teach you during that time?
• Like the nation of Israel in Jeremiah’s day, do you find yourself losing hope in any area of your life?
• What’s one step you can take this week to persevere in that area and draw closer to Jesus?