Have you ever faced a situation or outcome that made no sense whatsoever to you, causing you to turn to God with one question in mind: "Why?"
You might have been told that to question God in such a way is as good as blasphemy or doubting God. You might have been advised to just "trust God without question."
I've always found myself to be the inquisitive type and my favourite question has always been the question "why?" I grew to love the book "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek that encourages people to look at the motive, core, meaning and purpose of anything and everything we do.
When we lose a loved one, experience trial or find ourselves in great challenge, it seems that the only question we want to ask God is "why?" But is it okay to look into the motive, core, meaning and purpose that God has for us especially when hardships come in the way?
I believe the right way to know whether our questioning God is based on doubt or not is to ask ourselves this question first: "Why do I want to know the answer?"
It all goes back to motive. If our motive in asking God is truly to malign His authority or to delay obedience, then it's best to drop the question there and then. But if it's to truly know God and His will, then by all means we can and should ask.
The Bible is full of righteous people who questioned God. David, in deep searching for more of God's ways, asked in Psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?" But in the same breath the man after God's own heart declares in verse 3, "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel."
God invites us to ask, to dig down deep into His plans and seek to know His ways and His character more and more. It's only by asking that we gain more of God. When He invites us to ask for more of Him, He does so because He has nothing to hide and covers no secret agenda that aims to deceive or ruin us. God says in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
There is nothing wrong with asking God "why?" if what we truly seek is His wisdom and His character. In fact, God invites us to come and inquire of Him so that we may taste and see that the Lord is indeed good.
