Why does one woman suffer with diabetes her entire life while another is healthy?
Why does one woman lose her house in a fire while another woman’s house stands?
Why does one woman wait longingly to see one positive pregnancy strip while another woman drives a van full of kids?
I made a discovery in the Bible recently that helped to answer this question for me.
David says to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign’” (1 Chron. 22:7-9, NIV).
David always had to fight for everything—for his sheep, his life, his kingdom—but through David, God poured out for all men the great songs of comfort.
Solomon was rich and lived in complete peace, and through Solomon God poured out for all men His great wisdom.
Two very different lives. Two flavors of rich contribution to the world.
God grants to some conflict and difficulty.
God grants to some peace and ease.
Of course, often life is hard because of our sinful choices, and we must own this if we know it’s true.
But circumstance is not always by our choice. Sometimes it’s a granting. To grant means to put upon, to entrust.
Solomon did not ask to be rich or to build a magnificent temple or to have no enemies. His wealth and construction assignment and peace were entrusted to him with a great purpose.
David did not ask for the lion and the bear and Goliath and crazy Saul and enemies on every side, but it seems those circumstances were entrusted to him with a great purpose.
We need to change our question. Instead of asking, “Why am I in this situation instead of in her situation?” we need to ask, “For what purpose has God entrusted me with this particular life?”
Christy Fitzwater is a blogger, pastor’s wife and mom of two teenagers. She resides in Montana. Visit ChristyFitzwater.com for more information about her ministry.
