---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking back on the eruption, asking God…"
description: "\"“Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow been chosen to be afflicted with this damn disease, the fairer question would have been, “W..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg"
---

#  Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow…

![“Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow been chosen to be afflicted with this damn disease, the fairer question would have been, “Why not me?” Why should I have been exempted from holding the proverbial short straw?” quote by Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg)

> ““Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow been chosen to be afflicted with this damn disease, the fairer question would have been, “Why not me?” Why should I have been exempted from holding the proverbial short straw?””

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Facing illness, questioning why one is chosen, reveals deeper existential inquiry about fate.

**In simple terms:** Ask “Why me?” to confront suffering’s purpose.

Key Takeaway

Embrace hardship as a chance for growth.

Themes

suffering existence faith

Mood

somber hopeful

Type

existential motivational

When to use this quote

- coping with disease
- grieving loss
- overcoming adversity
- spiritual reflection

Key Concepts

theology psychology meaning‑making

Questions to Reflect On

- What does this challenge reveal about your values?
- How can you find meaning in hardship?

A Different Perspective

Suffering may not have a clear purpose, leading to despair.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Asking god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-god/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/)

## Related quotes

> [“Garrett didn’t look particularly fazed. “I drew the short straw. Got the privilege of being the one to come interrupt two recently Shared Fae.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-ni-coileain/garrett-didn-t-look-particularly-fazed-i-drew-the-short-straw-got-the/)

[Rory Ni Coileain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-ni-coileain/)

> [I'm the youngest of six kids so I got the short straw in terms of bedrooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-m-the-youngest-of-six-kids-so-i-got-the-short-straw-in-terms-of/)

[Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/)

> [“Sometimes, you're the one who strikes it lucky. Sometimes, it's the other poor bastard who's left with the short straw, and you just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-stedman/sometimes-you-re-the-one-who-strikes-it-lucky-sometimes-it-s-the/)

[M.L. Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-stedman/)

> [“Cats have nine lives. Sons do not. Were times when I worried. Worried a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/cats-have-nine-lives-sons-do-not-were-times-when-i-worried-worried-a/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

> [As a non believer I don't get the idea of asking god for things via prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/as-a-non-believer-i-don-t-get-the-idea-of-asking-god-for-things-via/)

[Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/)

> [Many times in our lives we have to make difficult decisions that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of others around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-maynard/many-times-in-our-lives-we-have-to-make-difficult-decisions-that-will/)

Gene Maynard

> [“What you are asking God to do will induce a major impact on your life. That major impact cannot happen with minor faith. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-l-thompson/what-you-are-asking-god-to-do-will-induce-a-major-impact-on-your-life/)

[V.L. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-l-thompson/)

> [I love my real bitches , fuck the fake hoes. I be asking god , why you even make those .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-love-my-real-bitches-fuck-the-fake-hoes-i-be-asking-god-why-you/)

Fabolous

> [Don't waste time asking God to keep you from doing things. Don't do them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/don-t-waste-time-asking-god-to-keep-you-from-doing-things-don-t-do/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [“You’ve been tested.’ He advised me to try and ‘forgive and pardon, and this way seek to become beloved by God’ without my forgiveness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/you-ve-been-tested-he-advised-me-to-try-and-forgive-and-pardon-and/)

[Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/)

> [3 2 = one heart praying 4 you. 1 + 1= two eyes looking for you. 3+2= five senses missing you. 4+3= seven days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/3-2-one-heart-praying-4-you-1-1-two-eyes-looking-for-you-3-2-five/)

Azgraybebly Joslan

> [“The point which we consider it our duty to note is, that outside of and beyond his faith, as it were, the Bishop possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-point-which-we-consider-it-our-duty-to-note-is-that-outside-of/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [We need never refrain from asking anything of God simply on the ground that we think it impossible. God specializes in "impossible" things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-eugene-simcox/we-need-never-refrain-from-asking-anything-of-god-simply-on-the/)

Carroll Eugene Simcox

> [“Donald Grey Barnhouse was one who set an example of combining gospel preaching with humble prayer. He often could be found in the sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-d-phillips/donald-grey-barnhouse-was-one-who-set-an-example-of-combining-gospel/)

[Richard D. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-d-phillips/)

> [The seeker asking, Where is God? Is really God saying, Where indeed is the seeker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-seeker-asking-where-is-god-is-really-god-saying-where-indeed-is/)

[Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/)

## More by Ken Cruickshank

> [“Cats have nine lives. Sons do not. Were times when I worried. Worried a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/cats-have-nine-lives-sons-do-not-were-times-when-i-worried-worried-a/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

> [“Whatever’s eating at you, let it go. Emotion leads to poor decisions. Poor decisions lead to scrutiny. Scrutiny is our greatest threat.” The Barn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/whatever-s-eating-at-you-let-it-go-emotion-leads-to-poor-decisions/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

> [“Cats have nine lives. Sons do not. There were times when I worried. Worried a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/cats-have-nine-lives-sons-do-not-there-were-times-when-i-worried/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

> [“Whatever’s eating at you, let it go. Emotion leads to poor decisions. Poor decisions lead to scrutiny. Scrutiny is our greatest threat.” The Barn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/whatever-s-eating-at-you-let-it-go-emotion-leads-to-poor-decisions-2/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

> [“Whatever’s eating at you, let it go. Emotion leads to poor decisions. Poor decisions lead to scrutiny. Scrutiny is our greatest threat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/whatever-s-eating-at-you-let-it-go-emotion-leads-to-poor-decisions-3/)

[Ken Cruickshank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

[Explore all 6 Ken Cruickshank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/)

## More Asking god quotes

> [The seeker asking, Where is God? Is really God saying, Where indeed is the seeker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meher-baba/the-seeker-asking-where-is-god-is-really-god-saying-where-indeed-is/)

[Meher Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meher-baba/)

> [“Donald Grey Barnhouse was one who set an example of combining gospel preaching with humble prayer. He often could be found in the sanctuary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-d-phillips/donald-grey-barnhouse-was-one-who-set-an-example-of-combining-gospel/)

[Richard D. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-d-phillips/)

> [We need never refrain from asking anything of God simply on the ground that we think it impossible. God specializes in "impossible" things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-eugene-simcox/we-need-never-refrain-from-asking-anything-of-god-simply-on-the/)

Carroll Eugene Simcox

> [“The point which we consider it our duty to note is, that outside of and beyond his faith, as it were, the Bishop possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-point-which-we-consider-it-our-duty-to-note-is-that-outside-of/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [3 2 = one heart praying 4 you. 1 + 1= two eyes looking for you. 3+2= five senses missing you. 4+3= seven days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/3-2-one-heart-praying-4-you-1-1-two-eyes-looking-for-you-3-2-five/)

Azgraybebly Joslan

> [“You’ve been tested.’ He advised me to try and ‘forgive and pardon, and this way seek to become beloved by God’ without my forgiveness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/you-ve-been-tested-he-advised-me-to-try-and-forgive-and-pardon-and/)

[Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/)

> [Don't waste time asking God to keep you from doing things. Don't do them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/don-t-waste-time-asking-god-to-keep-you-from-doing-things-don-t-do/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [I love my real bitches , fuck the fake hoes. I be asking god , why you even make those .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-love-my-real-bitches-fuck-the-fake-hoes-i-be-asking-god-why-you/)

Fabolous

> [“What you are asking God to do will induce a major impact on your life. That major impact cannot happen with minor faith. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-l-thompson/what-you-are-asking-god-to-do-will-induce-a-major-impact-on-your-life/)

[V.L. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-l-thompson/)

> [Many times in our lives we have to make difficult decisions that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of others around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-maynard/many-times-in-our-lives-we-have-to-make-difficult-decisions-that-will/)

Gene Maynard

> [As a non believer I don't get the idea of asking god for things via prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/as-a-non-believer-i-don-t-get-the-idea-of-asking-god-for-things-via/)

[Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/)

> [“Sometimes, you have to shot block a friend's prayer because she's asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-shot-block-a-friend-s-prayer-because-she-s/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/i-used-to-ask-god-to-help-me-then-i-asked-if-i-might-help-him-i-ended/)

[Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/)

> [For many people, God is a frightening idea. Asking God for help doesn't seem very comforting if we think of Him as something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-people-god-is-a-frightening-idea-asking-god-for-help-doesn-t/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/have-you-been-asking-god-what-he-is-going-to-do-he-will-never-tell/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

[Browse all 123 Asking god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-god/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow been chosen to be afflicted with this damn disease, the fairer question would have been, “Why not me?” Why should I have been exempted from holding the proverbial short straw?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ken Cruickshank"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god-why-i-had-somehow-been-chosen/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Asking god"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god-why-i-had-somehow-been-chosen/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/ken-cruickshank-57365_asking-god_looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god_2202013.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Looking back on the eruption, asking God why I had somehow been chosen to be afflicted with this damn…” — Ken Cruickshank",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ken Cruickshank",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cruickshank/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Looking back on the eruption, asking...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god-why-i-had-somehow-been-chosen/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cruickshank/looking-back-on-the-eruption-asking-god-why-i-had-somehow-been-chosen/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
