Genesis 25:22: "The children struggled together within her, and she said, 'If it is thus, why is this happening to me?' So she went to inquire of the Lord."
"Why is this happening to me?" Like the rest of us, Rebekah believes that answering God's call and fulfilling his plan for her life is supposed to be easy—or at least easier than any alternative—if we are doing it right. Indeed, this seductive idea is at the root of Satan's question to Jesus in the wilderness: "If you are the Son of God, you are entitled to a far easier life than this! Surely your Father doesn't want you to starve out here! Use your power to transform these stones into bread." (See Matthew 4:3)
We who are adopted as "sons" (both men and women) of God through faith should expect no better treatment from Satan. When we suffer, his temptations will be along the same lines: "You are a 'son' of God, adopted into God's family, made holy with Christ's holiness, as highly favored as God's only begotten Son, and loved by your Father exactly as much. Why is this happening to you? You deserve better. Or maybe you're not who you think you are. Maybe God doesn't love you as much as you think." And resentment and fear soon follow.
Don't listen to the devil!
Suffering is a part of God's plan for our lives. Rebekah should have said—not, "If it is thus, why is this happening"—but, "Because it is thus, here's why it's happening."
"Because I am answering God's call, this is one reason why life is incredibly difficult right now. Because I am doing his will, this is one reason why life is a struggle."
Here comes the hard part: Trusting that God has a better blessing than we can imagine on the other side of this trial. Trusting that he has perfectly equipped us through his Spirit to handle it.
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