The “Why God?” Questions

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

Ever find yourself asking the question “Why God?” We all have and do but in doing so, we much be careful because “the whys” have the potential to confuse and undermine our faith. I’m not saying that asking God about things you don’t understand is bad. No, to the contrary, that is a good thing to do, if only you will be like a little child in the answer you get or don’t get at the moment. You see, the only answer you can get to God questions has to be from God Himself. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us the ways and heart of God.

Sometimes when we ask God questions, we are inadvertently asking them out loud to the world or to people that don’t know God. The answers they try to come up with will be confusing, bogus, and most often, an undermining force to your faith in God. You can’t force or simply figure out answers to God questions that only God knows the answers to.

You’ve heard ridiculous answers to God questions. They never settle well with you. They almost have the ability to make you mad. I’ve heard way too many over the years. I remember a pastor once explaining at a funeral that this young lawyer who died did so because “God took him home because He needed another lawyer in Heaven.” I knew that this ridiculous answer made people mad.

When parents give children answers to hard questions, the answers they give have everything to do with the parent’s judgment of what the child can understand. The parent knows that many answers have to be built slowly upon understanding, experience, and maturity to comprehend the answer. This is true with God. Only He can help give you the answers to those difficult questions that could otherwise be confusing to your faith and understanding of Him. So the thing to do when those questions arise is ask the Lord. Then tell the Lord you will patiently await the answer. Some will come quickly and some over time, but the Lord is faithful to answer your questions through His Word.

Some time ago we prayed for a couple who were pregnant with child that had received an evil report. We prayed with them and stood in faith with them. When the child was born, everything was wonderful. It was declared a miracle. Another time later, we were asked to pray for another couple that like wise had received an evil report. We also stood in faith with them. When their child was born, it lived for less than an hour. It was a painful and sad experience. The good experiences cause us to rejoice. The hard experiences lead to the “why” questions. They work to discourage our faith.

If I let questions and the absolute need to have every question of “Why Lord?” answered now, I’d lose my ability to have child-like faith and ask the Lord for things that are on my heart. I’d be overanalyzing and intellectualizing everything. Instead I will ask because He says that by all means; be an asker and be an asker in faith. Then leave the rest to Him. Be childlike and trust. Know that you’ll understand more as you go. You’ll faith will be intact and you’ll experience more answers to prayer that way!

Matthew 21:22 (The Message) “…Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim