what did i do wrong to deserve this

Yesterday I started a serial of posts prompted by everyone's favorite pastoral question: "Why is this happening to me?" Information technology is a very honest question when we are suffering, and it is perfectly fine and appropriate to ask. Just it is often difficult to answer. One of the reasons it is so difficult is that it is often masking other questions that are stewing but beneath the surface. Questions like this one:

"What did I do wrong to deserve this?"

The typical Reformed/Calvinist response to this question is to answer with another, "A improve question is, what accept you ever done to deserve anything expert?" This question is meant to bring the one suffering to reflect on the seriousness of our sin, the unimpeachable holiness of God, and that whatever good we feel is the effect of sheer undeserved and unmerited grace, whether common or saving. No one is in a position to take an expectation of "good." We accept washed everything to deserve punishment for our sins, and have done zip to deserve the reward of "practiced."

If y'all accept spent whatever time on my blog, you know that I am non your typical Reformed/Calvinist! Theologically, I fully agree with the facts of the depravity of our fallen nature and the utter sinfulness of our heart, soul, and listen. I fully hold with the fact that God is absolutely holy and therefore cannot take part in, harbor, or ignore sin; He must punish information technology wherever He finds information technology. I fully agree that any practiced we experience is merely the result of God's common and/or saving grace. These are facts patently attested to throughout Scripture and are therefore, to me, beyond dispute.

But from a pastoral perspective, I observe this response frankly wretched. It too easily leads to the assumption that if only your theology was more biblical, you would not accept these gnawing questions. Actually? Ever read the Psalms? Habakkuk? Job? Those who struggle with these questions are in the company of the finest saints in Scripture! Elsewhere (here and hither) I have addressed the thought that simply because something is truthful, does not brand it the right truth to share at that moment. In fact, the correct truth at the wrong time can do simply as much harm as telling untruth anytime (yous think about that)!

"What did I do incorrect to deserve this?" The merely reason this question is asked is when at that place is no discernable connection betwixt choices nosotros have made and the circumstances of our suffering. In a earth where people are fallen and aptitude towards evil, nosotros will inevitably fall victim to the harmful choices of others that we had nothing to do with. In that sense, the reply is "null."

When I was a teenager a friend of mine and I went into Boston for the mean solar day. While nosotros were walking downwardly the street, we were jumped from behind and attacked by a gang (apparently because I looked similar to a member of a rival gang). What did I do wrong to deserve that? Nothing. I roughshod victim to the reality of original sin.

The adjacent year my house burned to the ground on Christmas morning. The tenants who lived on the start floor of our three story business firm had plugged everything in their living room to a unmarried extension cord—Christmas tree, window lights, TV, stereo—and ran the string under the living room rug. The wire burned through the floor until it got to the tree; and so smash! the tree just exploded. 5 minutes later the house was gone. We lost everything we had take the pajamas we were wearing. What did we do wrong to deserve that? Nothing. It was not a affair of error on our account. It was a matter of poor choices of others and natural evil (i.due east. burn down).

It is of import to let our Christian brothers and sisters know that in such cases as these, these types of circumstances are not the issue of being singled out past God for divine retribution. For the Christian, divine retribution was fully meted out at the cross. God is but, in that location is no double jeopardy, He cannot punish for sin twice.

In each of these cases, there is even so, a sense in which there was a singling out.

When I was mugged my friend and I were singled out past God to be shown protective grace. In the centre of the attack, the leader of a sudden called everyone off once he realized I was not who he thought I was. He actually apologized. When does that ever happen?

When my house burned down, nosotros experienced God'southward protective grace once more literally experiencing His promise in Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 43:ii (ESV) when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall non consume you. It was that experience God used to open up my eyes to His sovereign love for me. I could have died. Zippo I did deserved His protection. Statistically, I should accept died. He not only singled me out saving me physically from that burn down, but singled me out in Christ to save me from what would be a far worse fate—paying the price for my sins to a perfect and holy God who would non let the least of them get unpunished.

And so when yous the question comes up, "what did I do wrong to deserve this," don't respond with pat answers or paragraphs from your favorite systematic theology textbook. These more oftentimes serve to separate u.s.a. from the person who is suffering than encourage united states of america to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Tell them that nosotros live in a world that is broken and marred past sin and that sometimes we get knocked downwardly past the evil in it; and sometimes we get knocked down hard. Tell them that in that location was zip that singled them out to experience such evil at the hands of men or nature. Information technology could just as easily been you. Wait for the signs of grace—common and saving—and evidence them how God is with them in this time. Tell them that God promises that when (not if) we walk through the fire He walks with united states of america and will go on us from being consumed. Then incarnate that for them by sticking with them, supporting them, and walking with them.

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Source: https://danledwith.com/2014/03/10/what-did-i-do-wrong-to-deserve-this/

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