神如何改变我们受苦时“为什么是我”这问题How God Changes Our “Why Me?”Questions in Suffering
作者: David Powlison译者: Duncan Liang
我们受苦时如此经常一开始会有这反应：
为什么是我？
为什么是这样？
为什么是现在？
为什么？
你现在已经听说了，神对你说话。真神说了所有这些奇妙的事，祂所说的都要成就。
祂在基督里，在肉身当中为你而来，来为你受苦。
祂不是站在远远的地方给你意见和看法；祂进入你极大的受苦当中。
祂要确保你经受得住苦难，与你一道做工全程经历苦难。
甚至在最急难的时候，祂也要背负你渡过。
这现实要改变你心里涌现的问题。那内向的“为什么是我”安静下来，举目巡视四周。
你转向外，一个新的、奇妙的问题出现了。
为什么是祢？
生命的主啊，为什么是祢？
祢什么要进入这邪恶的世界？
祢为什么要经历损失、软弱、苦难、忧伤和死亡？
在所有人当中，祢为什么要为我做这件事？
但祢真的做了。
祢为着那摆在祢面前的喜乐做了这事。
祢为着爱做了这事。
祢做了这事，显出在耶稣基督面上神的荣光。
当这更深入的问题震撼你心，你醒悟过来，满心欢喜。全宇宙不再围绕着你转动，但你不是无关紧要。神的故事让你看自己合乎中道。每一件事都重要，但尺度变了，让事情变得清楚得多。你面对难题，但你已经领受了更好的，是绝不能从你这里夺去的。这更好的要贯穿整个旅程继续发挥效力。
这问题生发出这发自内心的回应。
我的心哪，你要称颂耶和华，不可忘记祂的一切恩惠。祂赦免你的一切罪孽，医治你的一切疾病。祂救赎你的命脱离死亡，以仁爱和慈悲为你的冠冕。祂用美物使你所愿的得以知足，以致你如鹰返老还童。我的父啊，我要感谢祢。
在所有那些真是苦难的事情当中，你能情真意切说出“感谢祢”，因为所有的罪和所有的受苦，现在都服在祂的慈爱之下。
最后，你预备好了要提出，真的要问一个几乎无法想象的问题
为什么不是我？
为什么不是这样？
为什么不是现在？
如果在某方面， 你的信心可以成为一盏微弱的夜灯，在这漆黑一片的世界上发光，那么为什么不是我？
如果你的受苦彰显出世人的救主，那么为什么不是我？
如果你有特权补满基督患难的缺欠，
如果祂让你最深深的患难对你变得分别为圣，
如果你不怕遭害，
如果祂把你抱在怀里，
如果你的软弱彰显出神救我们脱离这一切不公义的大能，
如果你实实在在的挣扎，让其他挣扎的人明白如何站立得稳，
如果你的生活成为其他人的一个盼望源头，
那么为什么不是我？
当然，你不想受苦，但你已经变得愿意：“倘若可行，求祢叫这杯离开我；然而，不要照我的意思，只要照祢的意思。”
像祂一样，你大声哀哭，流泪祷告，恳求那能救你免死的主，就蒙了应允，
像祂一样，你要因所受的苦难学了顺从，
像祂一样，你要同情其他人的软弱，
像祂一样，你能体谅那愚蒙的和失迷的人，
像祂一样，你要向一个不信的世界彰显出信心，向一个无望的世界彰显出盼望，向一个没有爱的世界彰显出爱，向一个将死的世界彰显出生命，
如果神所应许的一切都要成就，那么为什么不是我？
大卫•鲍力生，《神在你受苦当中的恩典》（God’s Grace in YourSuffering，Wheaton: Crossway, 2018), 115–17.
So
often the initial reaction to painful suffering is
Why
me?
Why
this?
Why
now?
Why?
You’ve
now heard God speaking with you. The real God says all these wonderful things,
and does everything he says.
He
comes for you, in the flesh, in Christ, into suffering, on your behalf.
He
does not offer advice and perspective from afar; he steps into your significant
suffering.
He
will see you through, and work with you the whole way.
He
will carry you even in extremis.
This
reality changes the questions that rise up from your heart. That inward-turning
Why me? quiets down, lifts its eyes, and begins to look around.
You
turn outward and a new and wonderful question forms.
Why
you?
Why
you, Lord of life?
Why
would you enter this world of evils?
Why
would you go through loss, weakness, hardship, sorrow, and death?
Why
would you do this for me, of all people?
But
you did.
You
did this for the joy set before you.
You
did this for love.
You
did this showing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
As
that deeper question sinks home, you become joyously sane. The universe is no
longer supremely about you. Yet you are not irrelevant. God’s story makes you
just the right size. Everything counts, but the scale changes to something that
makes much more sense. You face hard things. But you have already received
something better which can never be taken away. And that better something will
continue to work out the whole journey long.
The question
generates a heartfelt response.
Bless
the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of the good things he does, who
pardons all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life
from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassions, who satisfies
you with good things as your adornment, so that your youth is renewed like the
eagle. Thank you, my Father.
You
are able to give true voice to a Thank you amid all that is truly wrong,
because all sins and all sufferings have now come under his lovingkindness.
Finally,
you are prepared to pose—and to mean—an almost unimaginable question.
Why
not me?
Why
not this?
Why
not now?
If in
some way, your faith might serve as a three-watt night light in a very dark
world, Why not me?
If
your suffering shows forth the Savior of the world, Why not me?
If
you have the privilege of filling up the sufferings of Christ?
If he
sanctifies to you your deepest distress?
If
you fear no evil?
If he
bears you in his arms?
If
your weakness demonstrates the power of God to save us from all that is wrong?
If
your honest struggle shows other strugglers how to land on their feet?
If
your life becomes a source of hope for others?
Why
not me?
Of
course, you don’t want to suffer, but you’ve become willing: “If it is
possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Like
him, your loud cries and tears will in fact be heard by the one who saves from
death.
Like
him, you will learn obedience through what you suffer.
Like
him, you will sympathize with the weaknesses of others.
Like
him, you will deal gently with the ignorant and wayward.
Like
him, you will display faith to a faithless world, hope to a hopeless world,
love to a loveless world, life to a dying world.
If
all that God promises only comes true, then Why not me?
