SURVIVOR’S GUILT
“WHY THEM AND NOT ME?”
“You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16, NLT)
“You have decided the length of our lives.
You know how many months we will live,
and we are not given a minute longer.” (Job 14:5, NLT)
We are not privileged to know God’s plans and why He does things, or allows things to happen. When someone is consumed by the question of why their life was spared, they will become entrapped by a nearly paralyzing sense of self-value and guilt. I was constantly asking why did God take my friend and not me. What about me is so special, or more important? Am I now living a life worthy of being spared? What are God’s plans for me, and am I serving His purpose He had planned? You may be bearing these same questions. The truth is, we really don’t know the answers to these questions. The feelings that you have or may have felt, is most likely to be what is known as false guilt, which stems from a belief that we had some sort of control, or power to have prevented the outcome. If you feel that it was an action, or inaction of yours to be the cause, then accept God’s forgiveness and comfort. Lay your burdens at God’s feet, as He instructs us to do, and know that He is the final decision maker. Additionally, we need to trust that God knows what He is doing and live a life of gratitude.
Take time to step out of yourself and give your life (relationship with God and family) an honest evaluation.
SIZE IT UP:
• How did your life look yesterday?
• How does it look today?
• How do you want it to look tomorrow?
Brett Snow, PhD.
Surviving Life Ministries
surviviglifem@gmail.com
