Why Do We Ask Why?
There is something in the human condition that desires answers. We instinctively want to figure things out, ascribe reason and logic, and make sense of this world and why we’re in it. A longing to know why starts at a young age, typically between the ages of two and four. My boys all went through a phase where if I said anything, they followed with the question, why? Here’s how these conversations often went:
“Time to get cleaned up for dinner.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t want to get germs in your mouth.”
“Why?”
“Germs will make you sick.”
“Why?”
This is when I either get technical and talk over their head, hoping they’ll get bored, or I just say, “because they do.” It’s followed by another “why?” until I get tired and say the phrase I’d vowed when I was young never to say, “Because I said so.”
My youngest was the hardest because he refused to act on anything until he understood the why behind it. As my son’s basketball coach, my husband tried to teach him how to dribble with one hand. Matty wanted to know why they had to dribble one-handed when two hands were better. My husband explained that the referee would blow the whistle and give the other team the ball if he dribbled with two hands, but to Matty, that answer was like saying, “because I said so.” He ended up riding the bench for the entire game because he refused to dribble one-handed. When we got home, I looked up why basketball players must dribble one-handed (for fluidity of the game and to lessen double dribbling, in case you’re interested) and read it to Matty. After that, he dribbled with one hand.
While answering Matty’s why worked in this instance, it’s not always possible to explain every situation. We ask God why and demand answers. Why did he break up with me? Why did I lose my job? Why cancer? And when God doesn’t reply, we get angry, depressed, or frustrated.
But can we see the future?
Are we all-knowing?
God doesn’t owe us an explanation. He’s God. What if we need this trial not to fall into something more egregious in the future? Just as a parent can say “Because I said so” to a child. God doesn’t have to reduce Himself to our level to explain. And just like me trying to explain to a two-year-old what germs are and why they make us sick, who’s to say we would be able to comprehend God’s answer?
Why not increase our faith and trust in Him?
The Bible shows multiple instances of Jesus being pleased by people’s faith. When a Roman Centurion approaches him, asking for Jesus to heal his servant, Jesus asks if he shall go to heal him. The Centurion tells Jesus he can just give the command, and his servant will be healed, no need for the journey. Matthew 8:10 states that Jesus was amazed and told his followers, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”
A Canaanite woman approached Jesus, asking him to heal her daughter, who was demon possessed. Jesus told her he was sent here for the lost sheep of Israel, and “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” She was persistent and replied, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Jesus complimented her great faith and healed her daughter. (Matthew 15:21-28.)
A paralytic’s friends brought him on a mat to see Jesus. Matthew 9:1-2 says Jesus saw their faith and said, “Take heart, son, your sins are forgiven,” and the man was healed.
Instead of asking God for explanations, maybe we should be asking God to grow our faith?