By: Denny

Life is full of questions, some get answered, others don’t. Sometimes we already know the answer before we even ask the question. Raise your hand if you ever wanted something from your parents, but you knew the answer would be no and you asked anyway. You had a 50/50 chance they would change their minds and say yes. Often their reply would be, “You already know the answer to that.” You can put your hands down now. There are many ways we can find answers to questions. We can use our reasoning, deduction, and past experiences of others and ourselves. Jesus was a master at answering questions as He would often answer a question with a question so people would have to figure things out on their own. Such was the case when after Adam and Eve sinned and ate the forbidden fruit, they hid themselves. When God came walking in the garden he asked, ‘Where are you?” It wasn’t because He didn’t know his physical location, but rather he wanted Adam to understand that he had broken fellowship with God through his disobedience. I think there are six basic categories that all questions fall into: who, what, when, where, how, and why. In this age of electronics and internet access many questions can be answered with the click of a mouse or a tap on the screen. Nearly every web site will have a list of FAQ’s. If that doesn’t work, you can chat live with someone. Of course, you can always do things the old-fashioned way and go to the library. The easy thing to do is just say, “Hey Siri” on your iPhone then ask any question. It is amazing what answers and resources pop up in an instant. Sometimes you may have to rephrase the question to get the answer you’re seeking. For instance, if you ask Siri, “How do I change the oil in my car?”, you will hear, “I can’t help you with that.” If you ask, ”What steps do I need to take to change the oil in my car?”, then several websites are available to go to. Siri can answer complex math equations, tell you who was the 21^st President of the US (Chester Arthur), how far the moon is from the earth (238,856 miles), what is the most aggressive animal (crocodile). She knows what day of the week your birthday has been since birth and even into the future. Need to know the NFL game schedule? ask Siri. She can answer nearly any question based on facts that are documented. As with any computer they are limited to the data that is past and present. Any predictions of major future events are simply hypothetical. We can find answers to things of the past, but the “when” of the future belongs to God alone and is an unknown mystery.

I think the most asked question that doesn’t always get answered to our satisfaction is “why”. Sometimes facts reveal the why, other times the answer to why is held captive by time itself only to be released as it pleases or never. A perfect example would be something like this: you fall and have a serious injury and now you’re laid up for months in bed. It could be because you weren’t paying attention and tripped over something. That why question answers itself. After laying around for a week you get bored, antsy, or even depressed. Then comes the next question, “Why did this have to happen to me?” There is no answer to fully satisfy that why. Sometimes well-meaning people will try to comfort those who are asking the unanswerable why by saying ignorant things. One such instance I can think of is telling grieving parents who are experiencing the death of a child that “God must have needed another little angel.” In the first place nowhere is it found in the Bible that anyone becomes an angel when they die. Secondly, if God did need another angel, which He doesn’t, he would just create one. Thirdly, what opinion would that couple have of God that He would do that to them. Quit trying to answer the whys you know nothing about with stupid sympathy card-like platitudes. The biggest why is masked as a question but is really an accusation. Who hasn’t heard someone say, “If there is a loving God, then why did He let this happen?” I can answer that in just three words: “I don’t know.” However, speaking personally, every hardship, loss and unexplainable why I’ve had has caused me to seek God more and not doubt His existence or love. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. We often don’t understand how even the bad things can have a part in God’s purpose for our lives. The deeper problem is that many people have a misconception about the nature of God that is rooted in the belief that He should prevent or fix everything bad, wrong, or evil that comes their way. When He doesn’t, they simply write Him off.

God has a plan we can’t see beyond the unexplainable whys. In Genesis 37-50 we read the account of how Joseph’s brothers, out of jealousy, sold him to the Ishmaelites where he ended up being a slave in Egypt. He suffered many things unjustly and found himself in prison. I’m sure he asked many why questions that weren’t answered. Pharoah had a dream and Joseph was the only one to whom God gave the interpretation. He was promoted to number two man in Egypt second to only Pharoah. He saved Egypt from a severe seven-year famine that affected the whole middle east. His brothers came seeking food and He eventually reveals himself to them. Listen to what he tells them in chapter 50: 20. “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Could it be possible that one reason God doesn’t answer your why right away is that He is working behind the scenes to accomplish something that will benefit many? All Mary and Martha could see was their brother Lazarus was dead because Jesus wasn’t there to prevent it. God had a greater plan and purpose which was to raise him from the dead. Job lost everything in one day. He didn’t ask why, but simply blessed God and worshipped Him. He didn’t give in to the urgings of his wife to curse God and die. God blessed Job in his latter days and restored to him twice as much as he had before. Just because God doesn’t answer or explain every why we have, He still hears us and isn’t upset by our asking. For the Christian we must look past the whys. That is where trust, faith, and perseverance thrive and has its rewards. Don’t think for a moment that God didn’t hear His only son Jesus as He hung on the cross and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In the middle of the pain and suffering Jesus was able to look beyond the why with great joy knowing the redemption He was accomplishing for all mankind. He told His disciples beforehand that after three days He would rise from the dead. That new life He offers (what) is available now (when) to all who (who) will call upon His name (how) for salvation and surrender their lives to His lordship. There is a time coming whether in this life or the next that God will answer all our whys, until then, just trust Him.