A POINTLESS QUESTION
Ever hear, “There’s no such thing as a dumb question?” I have to disagree. Over the years I’ve heard (and asked) my share of, let’s call them, “less-than-intelligent interrogative inquires.” Consider these real-life questions posed by lawyers in courtrooms:
“The youngest son, the 20-year-old, how old is he?”
“Were you present when your picture was taken?”
“Was that the same nose you broke as a child?”
(https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-court-reports-disorder-in-court/)
We’re all guilty. When we face adversity, we ask God an equally pointless question: “Why?” Why didn’t you keep this tragedy from happening? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did my loved-one die? Why? Why? Why?
God’s not angry when we question him. But don’t hold your breath awaiting an answer. The Almighty doesn’t make himself accountable to us. If he did, we wouldn’t understand his responses anyway. If the heavens parted, and in a booming voice God answered all our “whys,” it would be as fruitless as explaining calculus to a four-year-old … or to me. Some mysteries are simply too deep to understand (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Isaiah 55:9 states, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Here’s a better question: “What?” What does God want me to learn from my pain? What will help me become more Christ-like? What do I need to surrender to him? How we handle suffering is infinitely more significant than figuring out why.
Job lost everything that meant anything to him on earth. Fourteen times in the book of Job, he asked God why. If anyone was ever entitled to an explanation, it was Job—but his “whys” were met with crickets. God never told him why. Nor does he explain his actions to us.
Charles Swindoll writes, “Even when the most extreme events transpire and ‘life just doesn’t seem fair,’ God is there, carrying out His providential plan exactly as He pre-arranged it. And to complicate matters, He doesn’t feel the need to clear any part of that plan with any earthling. Why should He? Chances are we’d not agree anyway.”
(Charles Swindoll, Elijah: A Man of Heroism & Humility)
Over the past year, in losing my wife, I’ve learned pursuing the ever-evasive “why” only creates frustration. The answer is always one step beyond our grasp. But accepting God’s sovereignty and trusting him brings peace of mind, even in the midst of our pointless questions.
Principle: When we suffer, asking God “why” is a pointless question.
Ponder:
If you could ask God one “why” question, what would it be?
How have you found trusting God brings peace rather than trying to figure out why?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Ecclesiastes 3:11-15.
Prayer: “Almighty God, I’m not smart enough to understand why you do what you do. Help me to be content in the uncertainty of life.
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