Yesterday was Good Friday. It’s the day we remember the sacrifice of Jesus as he endures the torture and death on a cross. There’s not much that Jesus says while he’s being crucified, but he does ask an important question: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Here’s the scene while Jesus is hanging on the cross: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45&46, NIV) Jesus asks the “why question.” God has turned His back on Jesus. He is looking away from Jesus. He is withdrawing His presence from Jesus. And in the midst of the physical darkness and the spiritual darkness Jesus literally screams, “Why?”
Perhaps you’ve been there. Maybe you’ve been in the darkness and you’ve simply screamed, “Why?” to God. Is it okay to ask that question? Some say it is a sin to ask God why. Some say it shows a lack of faith and trust to ask God why. But Jesus asked why. I tend to be one who believes Jesus gives us a pattern to follow in life. If it’s okay for Jesus to ask why then I believe it’s okay for us to ask why, too. We should ask why when we’re looking for an answer. Let me give you three quick tips when it comes to asking God why.
1. Understand you won’t always understand.
Never has that been more true in the moment than right now. I’m not even going to pretend that I understand anything about this virus, when the guidelines will be lifted, when the apex of this breakout is going to be reached, or what life will look like when we’re getting back to “normal.” And I have to be okay with knowing that I most likely will never understand any of it on this side of eternity. I can ask why, but I may not get a clear answer. Some things are just not possible for me to understand, but I can trust in the One who not only understands it all but is in control of it all. The Bible reassures me that it is okay if I don’t always understand. (The Lord said) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8&9, NIV) It’s okay to ask why, but when the answer doesn’t come we need to trust that God always knows best.
2. Acknowledge God is good, God is for you, and God is with you.
God is unchangeable! He has always been good, He is good, and He will always be good. God has always been for you, He is for you, and He will always be for you. God has always been with you, He is with you, and He will always be with you. Rest in that. A virus can’t change it. A bad day won’t erase it. A pandemic won’t destroy it. God’s Word is clear that He is good, He is for you, and He is with you. Let’s remember that the Word of the Lord stands forever, and that includes during a pandemic. Hold on to the Word of the Lord. (Jesus said) “No one is good—except God alone.” (Mark 10:18, NIV) If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31, NIV) …God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)
3. Begin to ask, “What?”
Give yourself some time to transition from asking, “Why?” to asking, “What?” It’s in Proverbs 3 that you find one of my favorite verses…a life verse, if you will, for me. We hear this verse often: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5&6, NIV) I’m to trust in the Lord with all of my heart. Not a part of my heart, not some of my heart, not most of my heart, but with all of my heart. I wish I could say that I’ve got it down, but I don’t. Remember, it’s not wrong to ask God why. Most likely we’ve all done it. We may be doing it now. But, as we trust Him more with our hearts the questions begin to move from, “Why?” to “What?” Instead of, “God, why is this happening? God, why are you doing this? God, why aren’t you doing what I want?” you start to ask, “God, what are you doing? God, what do you want me to see. God, what is your purpose? God, what is your plan in this?”
Of all the questions Jesus could have screamed from the cross he screams, “Why?” It’s okay. Go ahead and scream it, too. Look for the answer. You may or may not understand, but He will always be good, He will always be for you, and He will always be with you. Trust in Him and see if the answer you begin to look for isn’t because you’re asking, “Why?” but because you’re asking, “What?”
Living in this with you,
Brad
