Hi, this is Joni of Joni and Friends.
I'm thinking today of a good friend I’ve had for almost 30 years. I believe I’ve shared her story with you before, but it’s really worth repeating – like me, she lives in a wheelchair without use of her hands or legs. Her accident happened when she went on a job interview... the guy interviewing my friend, Vicky Olivas, led her into a back warehouse where he ended up attacking her. The man pushed her against a wall and when she put up a fight, he reached for a gun. It fired and the bullet pierced her neck. Vicky slumped to the floor, unable to move. Miraculously, someone in the front of the building heard that shot... and, although her assailant tried to escape, at least Vicky was taken to a hospital where she received treatment. When doctors told her that her paralysis was permanent, Vicky plummeted further into depression. Her uphill journey from there, was not easy…
Vicky used to spend a lot of time asking “Oh, God why?” She asked a lot of other questions, too, like “Will I ever be happy again?” or “Will I ever get out from under this burden?” and the all-time favorite, “Will I ever understand how this fits into God's plan for my life?”
Vicky was understandably concerned, but somewhere along the line later on she realized that the questions she was asking, those questions themselves were awfully me-focused. And even when Vicky did hit upon good reasons like “Well, Vicky, this is making me a better person” or “Well, Vicky, this is sure improving my character, all this stuff,” it was clear that even those answers were pretty me-focused. Vicky began to see something… she began to understand that she needed the Someone behind it all – the Someone with a capital S. She needed to get her focus off of herself and onto Jesus Christ.
It happened when Vicky came to God admitting she was poor in spirit. Because when we come to God saying, “I don’t get this, God, but I know I need you,” that’s when things begin to change. He is drawn to people who need Him – just like the Bible says, draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you. Like with the woman who clung to the robe of Jesus, God bends down and releases in us a new measure of strength. He imparts a greater gift of faith and He raises us up to a new level of trust. When that happens, friend, you can never be the same. That God is a part of the problem of suffering may not complicate matters after all. How, or to what extent He is involved in our suffering is not the question. The point is, He is the Answer and we need Him desperately. And that's what Vicky has learned these many years in her wheelchair.
You know, we will always keep asking why, we will always wonder about God's goodness unless we understand that God, too, experienced horrible suffering at Calvary. When you ask the question why, sometimes the answer is one word: Jesus. I want you to know that Vicky has so much more to say and I really want you to meet her. You can do so by visiting me today at joniandfriendsradio.org and click on the video we’ve done of Vicky -- believe me, this incredible woman in her wheelchair will be a blessing to you. And while you're on my homepage, you can ask for your free copy -- actually I'll send you three copies of a tract I wrote simply called "Why?" Give one to a friend you know who is struggling with affliction or pain – or read it for yourself, you’ll really gain much by it. It will be a blessing. Again that's joniandfriendsradio.org -- you could also call or write Joni and Friends, but you would miss seeing that really special video, so please, if you can, go online today at joniandfriendsradio.org. Until next time, this is Joni and Friends.
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