Should We Ask God "Why"?

Very recently the CMA York Chapter lost one of its younger members to a motorcycle accident. Our community will, no doubt, feel the shock of this loss for some time to come. Somehow in the course of events I found myself embracing the boy’s father, trying, with little success, to console him just moments after he received the news that he had lost his young son in a motorcycle accident. What do you say in a situation like this? The only answer I could come up with was to say very little. I held him tight and whispered how sorry I was for him. We all were and are in shock. I had no idea when our chaplain called me that this accident was fatal. I had even considered I might wait till the next day to visit. I thank God I did not. Even on my way to the hospital I had planned on seeing the young man and speaking to him about what had happened. How quickly the night can change. My shock and sadness are only a grain of sand in the scope of all of this. His parents are, understandably beside themselves in grief and disbelief. I cannot even begin to relate with their current state of grief and sorrow. How can I? I have no idea how they must feel and, if I am perfectly honest, I have no desire to know.

In a situation such as this we all want to ask God why, but is it appropriate to question God's wisdom and purpose? Should we simply refer all of our questions to Romans 8:28? I believe the answer can be found in the scripture. Here are a few of the verses I found:

Psalm 10:1

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Job 7:20

If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?

Mark 15:34

And at 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?" 

Having hung on the cross, feeling abandoned and alone Jesus asks the question…”Why God?” These verses show clearly God, not only tolerates our questions, but encourages us to speak with Him in all things, even when we are asking why. So if you know someone in a time of suffering, I would encourage you to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and supportive of their questions, even when they might question God Himself. 

In my humble opinion, there are few families who have more of a reason to ask God why right now. Out of respect for the family, I have not mentioned them by name. If anyone is reading this, and you know the family, I would encourage you to just listen to them as they wrestle with their questions. Love them, pray for them, and offer them a shoulder to cry on. Ask God to show them the same patience He showed Job and David when they asked Him “why?” Be ever thankful we have a God Who has felt our pain and emptiness and while hanging on the cross even He asked “why?” And, yes, pray for this young man’s family and friends to experience God’s transcending peace in the midst of their pain in never really knowing the finite answer to the question of “why?” I pray all of this in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen.