When my youngest was a toddler, her favorite question was, “Why?” I distinctly remember one of these why questions because it resulted in a child sprawled out, with exactly zero inhibitions, exhibiting a full-blown temper tantrum on the floor of the monkey house at the Zoo. She asked if she could hold the baby Chimpanzee which was safely located behind thick glass. I said, “No.”
“Why can’t I hold him?”
“Because we can’t hold him.”
“But, why?”
“Because they won’t let us hold the chimpanzees.”
“Mom, why?” The tears ensued along with the full body rejection of my answer, which coincidentally became more entertaining to the crowd than the monkeys. She desired to hold the monkey and simply could not understand why I would not relent.
As frustrating as it can be to try and reason with toddler “whys,” I admit that I ask this question to God quite often, and sometimes my attitude toward His unsatisfactory answers emulates my toddlers full body rejection.
Questioning God’s Ways
I’m not the only one who questions the ways of God. The prophet Habakkuk does the same thing when crying out on behalf of the ongoing and widespread injustice and violence in Judah. Habakkuk laments the moral degeneration essentially asking God, don’t you care? Where are you? I love how The Message translates the first four verses of chapter one:
“God, how long do I have to cry out for help
before you listen?
How many times do I have to yell, ‘Help! Murder! Police!’
before you come to the rescue?
Why do you force me to look at evil,
stare trouble in the face day after day?
Anarchy and violence break out,
quarrels and fights all over the place.
Law and order fall to pieces.
Justice is a joke.
The wicked have the righteous hamstrung
and stand justice on its head.”
Can you hear his frustration? Goodness, I can identify with his longing. I too have cried out in my own confusion and perceived silence from God: “How many times do I have to yell, God? Why?”
Here’s what’s amazing about our gracious Savior. He desires that we come to Him with our frustrations, with our “why” questions. When we face trials that we deem are intrusions or hurt that we simply can’t understand, Jesus tells us to throw these burdens onto Him (1 Peter 5:7). The Psalmist does this over and over: “How long, O Lord,” David cries out to God in Psalm 13 and in many other Psalms of Lament. And in Psalm 22, Jesus Himself asks God why: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
It’s certainly not wrong to be honest with Jesus about our questions and hurt, but can the questioning become a sin? When does my yelling out become a disrespectful temper tantrum in the presence of my Creator?
When Questioning God Becomes Problematic
We have disrespected God when we begin thinking harshly about who He is and about what He allows. Jesus wants us to bring our frustrations to Him, surely, but we cannot do this in disrespect for who He is. Theologian John Calvin says, “Since God allows us to deal so familiarly with Him, nothing wrong ought to be ascribed to our prayers when we thus freely pour forth out feelings, provided the bridle of obedience keeps us always within due limits.”
Sometimes our reaction to God reaches out of the “due limits” when our response to hardship exposes legalism that has seeped into our faith. While many Christians rightfully resist this Pharisaical teaching that unduly elevates the law, it can easily surface when we face trials: I have done so much for you, God; I’ve been faithful. Why are you then allowing this to happen to me?
Do you see the subtle legalism? A life free from hardship is not owed to us, and we can’t earn it by our obedience. We follow Jesus and obey His commands out of love for Him and out of gratitude for what He has done. And we live in a broken world where hardship is inevitable. “Why is this happening to me?” is a question that cultivates anger and defiance toward God. But “What would you have me learn in this?” is a question that softens our heart and causes us to lean into the sovereign arms of our good God.
Refocusing on the Goodness of God
Even in Habakkuk’s questioning, listen to his grace-filled conclusion: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (3:8). In his vision, the prophet sees desolation and loss, but he cannot help but rejoice in the Lord. And why? Because Habakkuk refocuses on the goodness and power and majesty of God, all of which cause the prophet to literally tremble in awe (3:16).
Refocus. In the unknown future because of a job lost, God’s sovereign power to direct our ways is made abundantly clear. In the anxious waiting on test results, God’s goodness is inexplicably experienced amid our fear. And even when it seems that pervasive injustice and violence has overcome, our God reigns over it all. One day justice will roll down, and God’s majesty will be fully seen and understood by all. In our feebleness we ask, “If God is good and powerful, then why am I going through this?” Perhaps it’s time to get rid of the why question and ask instead: “How can I not sing your praise in the face of your goodness, and power, and might?”
“Though you slay me, yet I will praise You.
Though You take from me, I will bless Your name.
Though You ruin me, still I will worship, sing a song to the one who’s all I need.”
(Shane and Shane, “Though You Slay Me”).
