I have asked the “why” question many times in my life. It challenges me when something happens and you really have no idea why God would allow this to occur. It is a very raw moment when you are looking to a God who encompasses all power, knowledge, compassion and love, and He doesn’t “go your way.” “Why, God, why?”

In my own journey with God, some of the hardest moments were when God didn’t answer prayer. I have no doubt that God can do it – He is more than able. The answer would have alleviated so much pain and distress. When I look through my “lens,” it makes so much sense. Yet, He chose not to do it my way. And that brings me back to a huge question – “Why?”

Here is the bad and the good of the question? The bad centers on the fact that we are not God. It goes back to the Garden of Eden. Since then, men have battled with the desire to “be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) Ultimately, God will do His will. Like a parent to a child, He sees and knows more than we will ever know while we are on this earth. A child can say, “One day, when I am older, I will make those decisions.” We cannot do that with God. He will always have his sovereign will and do it as He pleases. I do believe prayer works and impacts the heart of God. Yet, there are times where He does his will and we are left with a big “why?”

Here is the good? If you are in a relationship, you have a freedom to grow in that relationship. Asking “why,” will cause you to grow. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Yep, even God has secrets. However, this tells me that God will reveal truths that will be for us and our future generations. A marriage relationship is the most intimate relationship a person will have. Intimacy comes with great joy and pleasure but it also has times where it has questions. That relationship is challenged in its faith, trust and love. You will get some answers and some will be left a secret. God is not Santa Claus giving you what you always want and He isn’t one to say “No” all the time. It is in this journey that you truly learn what you believe about God.

Keep asking “why.” In the end, you will find that one thing didn’t change when you asked…His love for you.