“Why?” This question
dominates our home right now. I remember hearing people talk about the trials
of the “why stage” back when there wasn’t a pint-sized person commanding our
home. I resolved that I would be honest with my toddler one day and give this
hypothetical toddler answers that will satisfy his or her curiosity. I would
not be perplexed or stumped by someone who has only been on this earth 2-3
years. It’s amazing how much of a parenting expert you are before you actually
become a parent. I now find myself both perplexed and stumped by the child that
also has to yell across the house for me to wipe her bottom 20 times a day. Her
curiosity both maddens and amazes me.
I would love to say I
welcome every why question with excitement for her hunger to learn and foster
her curiosity with every given opportunity. Sometimes I have those moments of
patience and care, but sometimes my humanity wins out. I find myself trying to
divert her attention, dismiss her, or even ignore her in hopes that the never-ending
questions will end. Do we really need to have a 30-minute discussion about the
endless “whys” of the princess holding a butterfly in our bedtime book? “Why
does she have a butterfly? Why is the butterfly on her finger? Why are there
butterflies?”
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At least she's cute in her persistence! I sometimes find myself thinking how annoyed God must be with my persistent questions often weighted by doubt or fear, but what a lie that is. God is an immensely greater Father than I am a mother and I praise Him for that! I often hear people say we
shouldn’t ask God, "Why?" We should simply trust Him, know that His ways are
higher than our ways, and move on. It is true that His ways are higher than our
own and we will never fully understand everything He does and allows. That said, giving no attention to someone's concerns and leaving it there is like me expecting my toddler to be satisfied with “because
I said so.” I probably don’t have to tell you how that goes over. It by no means puts a halt to her questions.
Now God, who is the King
of Kings sitting on a throne with the earth as His footstool, could certainly
have left us with a tablet that said “because I said so” and left it at that.
His authority and holiness in and of itself demands obedience. When our
disobedience and stubbornness prevails He could leave us to reap the consequences of
what we sow. But God is a God “ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to
anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Nehemiah 9:17).” Just as He didn’t
forsake the Israelites, He doesn’t forsake His children today. We are quite
literally the walking dead because of our disobedience and sin. But God in the
richness of His mercy and love offers us forgiveness and life through Jesus that we might be His children. (Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 10:9-10; John 1:12) And
God is a good Father. He doesn’t deflect, dismiss, or ignore the concerns of
His children.
I can’t imagine my sweet toddler’s trust in her mom grows in the moments that I dismiss her curiosity or confusion. I do believe trust blossoms in the moments I show her patience and give time and
attention to help her better understand. My trust in God often
strengthens as I come to Him with the hard questions. As I've fallen before Him weary
with doubt and struggles, He has cultivated deeper roots of faith and strength to press on. God
doesn’t divert my attention from wanting to understand Him or my circumstances
better. He tells me to fix my eyes on Jesus who says, “Come to me, all you
who are burdened and weary, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).” He
welcomes me to cast my cares and anxieties onto Him because He cares for me (1
Peter 5:7). He doesn’t dismiss me and
stand silent at a distance. He speaks through His Word to revive, teach,
give understanding, and encourage (Psalm 119:25-32; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Proverbs
2:6). He doesn’t ignore. He hears
the desire of the afflicted, strengthens their hearts, and inclines His ear to
them (Psalm 10:17).
My hope that God works all things for good has strengthened as I grapple with Him over why bad things
happen (Romans 8:28). Greater rejoicing has emerged after wrestling through asking
“How long Oh Lord” while walking through seemingly hopeless seasons of life (Psalm
13). There is something natural to asking questions and seeking to better
understand life. I don’t think the problem lies in asking questions like “why”,
but often it’s who or where we turn with them. Run to the Father with your
questions. Cry out to Him in your doubt and areas of unbelief. He does not
divert, dismiss, or ignore. Cling to and pursue His commands. Be revived by His Word. Fall to your knees before Him and ask, “why?” We may not always find every answer, but we will find Him.
"O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!" - Psalm 63:1-3
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