Is It Ok To Ask God Why?

Would you rather listen than read? Listen here.

Is It Ok To Ask God Why?

Over my lifetime, I have had several moments where I questioned God of why things were happening in my life. The last five years with Lyme Disease, I have probably asked a few more times than usual, but each time I wondered if it’s ok to ask God why.

I have questioned God why I had to go through not only Lyme Disease and Babesia, but now also Bartonella. When Covid landed me in the emergency room, I pleaded with God, “Have I not had my turn?” To be completely honest, there have been days I have told God enough is enough. You healed me once. Why is it back?

Over the last month, I have had issues with a new prescription. To say I felt horrible on it was an understatement. Medication should make you better, not worse. Right? As I declined with each passing day, I stopped taking the pills because I wanted to go to my daughter’s high school graduation. I restarted the treatments after the graduation and all the negative side effects picked up where they left off.

While talking to my doctor, he advised I not restart the medication again till after my son’s wedding so I could enjoy the big day and all my friends that came to visit. Monday night, when it was time to restart them, I stared at that neon yellow pill and prayed Lord please let me be ok on this.

I took it and had an allergic reaction like never before. Two hours later, I woke up with burning and itching and pain throughout my body. There are no words to describe what was happening within me. I moved to the couch not to keep Sam awake and cried as I scratched every part of me.

The Book Of Job

As I lay there, I thought of the book of Job and how he sat in the pit tending to his wounds. In that kind of pain, you cannot think straight and you question everything. Reading Job prior to that night, I wondered how he could have questioned some of the things he did. But after that night, I had a much better picture. I begged God to take it away. I pleaded for healing. For four hours, I honestly did not know what to do with myself. (Yes, the doctor has taken me off that medication and I ask for prayers as we decide to try a new and costly treatment.)

Job asks the Lord over and over why everything had happened to him and his friends who came did more harm than good. Job even says, “You are miserable comforters, all of you!” (Job 16:2). Towards the end of the story, a young man named Elihu comes forward and confronts Job and the three friends.

It Always Comes Down To The Heart

Job, without knowing it, gives a speech in response to Elihu that confirms the error of his ways and it all boiled down to his heart. Job was upright and followed all the ways of God, but he did it for his own benefit. He did it for the blessing he would receive. For three chapters, Job 29-31, he says all he did for God and what he gained from it.

As the story reaches to a climax, a storm had brewed, and out of the storm came the voice of God.

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.”

Job 38:4 NLT

God shows up with authority and puts not only Job, but all of us, in our place. For the next four chapters, God tells us who He is, and that He is over all of creation. He reminds us that all creation is subject to Him, and He reminds us of His power and authority.

Job responds in complete humility, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (Job 42:5-6 NLT).

We even have an earlier picture of this in Psalms when David writes:

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”

Psalm 103:11-14 NIV

God Sees The Heart

It all came down to one thing. Job served the Lord for the ways God would bless him, not because of who God is. This message is vital. It makes me want to look at my life and really ask God why I have done the things I have done. Do I do it for what I gain or because I choose to serve an awesome God? My mind says the latter, but God sees the heart and it is probably not as pure as I wish to believe it is.

This is a hard message for many of us to take in. Most of us live in a culture where we all believe we are good, therefore good things should happen to us. Society teaches us to embrace who we are because that makes us special. Yes, and no. We are all unique, but as Isaiah says, “We are the clay, and you are the potter.” Isaiah 64:8 NLT We must be willing for God to mold us into the exceptional individual He wants us to be.

I challenge you to ask God to show you what is in your heart. It will not be easy, and we have to be ready for what He reveals. But when we become vulnerable and moldable in God’s hands, there is no end to what He will do through us to bring glory to His kingdom.

Moments in the valley will often guide us to this place without our asking. I know I started asking God why I have found myself here again. Did I not learn the lesson the first time? It’s not always about learning a lesson, or because we sinned, or an attack from the enemy, sometimes we find ourselves in difficult moments just so we will reach out to the One who can heal our hearts.

God never condemned Job for asking why, but don't get stuck in the why's. Listen for the answer. Let God draw you close and help you find the purpose in your pain. #askingwhy #whyGod Click To Tweet

God never condemned Job for asking why, but don’t get stuck in the why’s. Listen for the answer. Let God draw you close and help you find the purpose in your pain. Watch for the ways God will move and prepare yourself to be amazed.