Meet You ThereSample

WHY? WHY? WHY?

And then come the questions. Hundreds of them every day. It doesn’t matter what your answer is, there will be a follow-up “Why?” My sister once told my daughter that all the “why’s” were driving her crazy. Guess what she said? “Why are the ‘whys’ driving you crazy?” Thank God that He does not ever go crazy from our questions!

In the Bible, we read about someone who bombarded God with questions. Job had many questions for God after his whole life crashed in a day (Job 1). Within a few hours, he lost all his livestock, shepherds, servants, and children (v. 13-19). I cannot even imagine what he went through. I would probably have demanded some answers too.

The book of Job is mostly dedicated to his questions about all the terrible things that happened to him. He could not make sense of it. “Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties?” (Job 3:23, NLT). And no matter how his friends tried to help, their answers could not comfort him. But as always, God knew how to meet Job exactly where he was.

God could have chosen to ignore Job’s questions because He was God. And that was more or less the answer he gave Job. “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” (Job 38:2, NLT). But our Father loves to spend time with us. I am not sure how long the conversation between God and Job lasted, but just reading through the four chapters in the Bible takes some time. God knew exactly how to reveal Himself to Job amid his circumstances. And Job ended up finding more than the answers he was looking for, he found God Himself. “‘ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (Job 42:5, NLT).

You see, God did not punish Job for asking questions. On the contrary, when Job finally understood God’s answer, God blessed him abundantly. “So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning” (Job 42:12, NLT). He wants to do the same for us.

Do you sometimes feel hesitant to ask God questions about things that happen in your life? Do you believe that God wants to have conversations with you? How can it change your relationship with Him?

Let us accept God’s invitation to bring our questions to Him. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5, NLT). And let us praise Him when He answers us. “Praise the name of God forever and ever; for he has all wisdom and power… He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars” (Daniel 2:20-21, NLT).