Trying to Answer the Why?

We’ve all asked “why?” at some point or another.  Chris Keith has been asking why for most of his life.

He was 12 years old when his grandparents decided he was old enough to know the truth.  His whole family – his parents and his older brother Mikey – did not die in a car accident as he has been told.  The were the victims of a murder-suicide at the hands of Chris’ Dad.   Chris learned that his father had shot him point blank in the head as well, that paramedics had declared him dead as well until somehow he moved a little and they realized he was still alive.

Chris is left with a lifetime of whys.  Why did his father do this? Why did his Mom take a violent drunk back into her life again and again? Why did Chris survive while his brother died? Why wasn’t it the other way around?

Learning to live with “why?”

Years of therapy, a strong faith and the love of his grandparents have helped Chris as he walks through his own story, but nothing is ever going to make what happened okay.  In a recent article for CNN Chris describes laying awake at night during his high school years, “just thinking”.

Philosophers, pastors and cynics have all tried to answer the question why, but few of them have had to live it as Chris has.  The search for meaning, the longing for life to have a purpose and a direction is common to all of us.  We want to belong, we want our lives to count.  We need it.  Our very souls crave it.

In his book Soul Cravings Erwin McManus discusses his own search for the answers to these very questions.   He writes, “Our souls crave to know the truth, and we need to pursue it at all cost. Whatever the implication, whatever it takes us, we must search for meaning, strive for understanding, struggle to make sense of life, never give up on the belief that the truth is out there.”

If you find yourself asking the same questions and want to learn more about the search for intimacy, destiny and meaning join us for a special chat series on Soul Cravings Monday nights at 9pm EST. The series starts on August 30th and runs every Monday until September 27.

How do you answer the whys in your own life?

Tags: faith, Family, forgiveness, healing, meaning, purpose, why

2 Responses to “Trying to Answer the Why?”

• Loading comments
• maria says:

  October 27, 2010 at 6:50 am

  God has reason us to live and for every face of life that we have there is lot of question that put into our minds. for sometimes those that we love for even we may say its not of their time they are the one who are gone and only their shadow we always look for- and good memories that we always remember and if there is coming to us a God given there is fear.so it need space and time to move again and time will tell those why into our minds it can answer the time we are ready to talk to God and say all things, all about ourselves, ready to submit ourselves to God and give all of our worries, because sometime we cannot accept those advice of others because the heart is not ready to accept comments. so to others they just want to go alone, or it may say solo flight because no one will understand u for even they give their shoulder and give their hands to give comfort and advice. Only our God Jesus for He knows all of our needs and wants in life
  and thru His advice and His words you may understand why we all live in why question? and its knowledge way of understanding God into path of light. Amen

• marla says:

  November 2, 2015 at 5:35 am

  I’m not sure we will ever know the full picture as to why things happen. I have faith that GOD knows things we don’t and I have learned to lean on that trust when I don’t understand the why’s in life. I’ve also come to know, when things happen that hurt so bad, when GOD pulls us through it, our faith becomes that much more stronger. Maybe sometimes it’s just a test of faith? In the end, when Jesus comes and rules over his people, I have faith that he will make all things known to us at that time. Trust in the Lord God with all your heart, mind and soul. He will lead you.