When We Ask God "Why" | Anchored in Hope Devotions

Many times in life we find ourselves asking, “Why God”?

If You are so good, why is this happening to me?

If You are truly in control, why would allow this to happen?

If I have truly been redeemed, why do I so often fall back into the sin I have been set free from?

Why Lord would you allow all of this if you truly love me?

Why?

If you are wrestling with these questions, you are not alone. In fact, you are wrestling with questions that even the most admired men in the Bible have pondered on.

David, a man after God’s own heart, asked in the first verse of Psalm 10: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”

Moses, the one who led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, cried out to God saying: “Why did you ever send me?” (Exodus 5:22b)

Job, a very godly man, cried out in the midst of his trials and said: “Why did I not die at birth” (Job 3:11a).

Paul, a man utterly dedicated to serving the Lord, said that he pleaded with the Lord three times to be rid of his thorn in the flesh.

These faithful followers found themselves in positions of desperate need. They contemplated why God would allow all the pain and suffering they were experiencing.

However, what was the response?

In Psalm 10:16a David says that “The Lord is king forever and ever.” Even though David felt that God was far off, he came back to remembrance that the God he served was king forever and ever.

In Exodus 6:2 God tells Moses to tell the people of Israel the powerful reminder that “I am the LORD.” Moses felt incapable of leading the Jews out of Egypt, but God reminded him that the LORD, Jehovah, Yahweh, I AM, was with him!

In the last chapter and second verse of Job, he proclaims “I know you [God] can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Despite the fact that Job did not understand why all his trials were happening, he was reminded of the infinite power of God, which led to his conclusion that God’s purpose could not be thwarted.

And finally, instead of God removing Paul’s thorn in the flesh, God said “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9a). And what was Paul’s conclusion?

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9b-10).

Let’s praise the Lord even today that when we are weak, through our perfect, loving, all-knowing Father, we are strong!

- Ramiro D. Franco