14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.

16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.

But what a difficult task it is!

We have all been there. Why Me? Why now? Why this? We ask the honest questions.

We wrestle with the hard answers. We do the right thing and get the short end of the

stick! We affirm the familiar line, “Nice guys finish last.”

Sometimes life just doesn’t add up. We know that two wrongs never make a right, but

what about when two rights make a wrong; when we pray, obey, hold fast, look up,

bow down, press on, have faith, breathe passion and still things fall apart! When we

worship in the pain and the pain increases. When we walk in humility only to be taken

advantage off. When we turn the other cheek for the umpteenth time and get kicked in

the rear. “Is there any justice” is the cry of our heart?

Throughout the Bible we hear these same honest questions echo. It could be Joseph

sitting in a prison cell because he DIDN’T take what wasn’t his. (Gen. 39) It could be

DANIEL from a Lion’s Den because he DIDN’T hide when it would have been

convenient, easiest and safe. (Daniel 6) It could be Elijah hiding out in a cave after

single handedly defeating and destroying 300 hundred of the enemies false prophets in

Israel. (1 Kings 18-19) It could be Jesus hanging on the cross for sins He didn’t

commit crying out to the Father, “Why have you forsaken me.” (Matthew 27:46)

Asaph asks the honest questions, “Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?” “Did I

keep myself innocent for no reason?” Yet he readily admits just a verse later what

we hopefully all have learned, sometimes this world doesn’t play fair; sometimes

circumstances don’t make sense and to try and reason it out is futile at best.

We ask the questions, yet we know the answer. Asaph was aware that his purity was

not for naught. He understood that yes his innocence did serve a greater purpose. He

knew that ultimately the value of his existence here was not measured by his pain but

by God’s promise.

In the great HALL OF FAITH chapter in Hebrews 11, we find a very interesting verse

(38) perfectly positioned amidst the timeless testimonies. This verse simply says of all

the great heroes of the faith, that.. “the world was not worthy of them.” Think about

that, the world was not worthy of them. They displayed such a dynamic faith that the

world didn’t deserve them. What is the flip side of that then, though. Is there some

place that is worthy of such an honorable faith? Certainly! Heaven is worthy!

Eternities Kingdom is worthy. When we gather in glory, those great heroes of the faith

will be rewarded and honored for just that, there incredible faith!

Incredible faith withstanding, they still asked the honest rhetorical questions; and... so

do we. We ask to cleanse the soul and air the frustration. We ask to expose the

wounds so healing can follow. Our honest questions don’t question our faith; rather

they let our faith breathe. As we empty ourselves of the emotional pain, our faith can

expand and take over our heart.

We find this in the case of Asaph here in Psalm 73, as we do in so many of the other

Psalms. Listen to the faith that fills the heart of Asaph, that expands as his negative

emotions contract.

Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish

and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong

to you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a

glorious destiny. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything

on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the

strength of my heart; he is mine forever. 27 Those who desert him will perish, for you

destroy those who abandon you. 28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I

have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful

things you do.

What a tremendous testimony! What an incredible faith! What a way to answer those

honest, tough, rhetorical questions; with the truth! What is the truth? The truth is, that

this world may not play fair, but at the same time, through faith this world will not be

worthy either; it will not be worthy of us.

So don’t be afraid of the honest questions and the hard answers; the gut wrenching

rheotic of our pain. Jesus wasn’t! He asked the Father, “Why have You forsaken

me?” knowing full well He was forsaken for you, me and all of humanity. We ask as

well. Why me? Why now? Why this? All the time understanding that if for no other

reason, it is in times just like this, we display a faith that's worthy of glory!

Have a Grace-Full Day,