Is Asking God “Why” Ok?

I grew up with the mindset that asking God “why?” was wrong and that it made me a bad Christian for asking. I found out recently that my brother holds the same view that I used to. Somehow the conversation came up when, as a family, we were sitting around the dinner table one Sunday. My parents were saying that asking God “why?” was fine as long as you are respectful. My brother was arguing that we should not ask God that question because it shows doubt towards God. I piped up a little in favor of my brother but mostly sat in silence since I was caught up in my own thoughts.

As I thought more on this topic, I realized that my brother and I both held to this view based on what we were taught in school. Throughout our schooling we were taught, whether through it actually being said or simply implied, that asking God “why?” is wrong because it shows your distrust in God, and it shows you doubting Him.

I now believe that asking God this question is perfectly fine. I think that people can believe either view of this question, it just depends on whether a person is asking this out of doubt or out of a humble desire to understand. I do not think that asking God “why?” is wrong in all cases.

As someone who has gone through trials and is still going through trials and, like everyone else, will go through many more trials as I go through this life in a sinful world, I think we need to make this a more common question that is ok to ask. Before I came to this conclusion, I would find myself asking “why?” to God and then immediately feeling like I had sinned and that I was a horrible Christian for asking. This made me less inclined to talk to God in prayer and come to Him with my questions and concerns. As a result of this, among other things, my spiritual life became non-existent.

In one of my college classes last semester, there was actually a guy who did a presentation on why it was wrong to ask God “why?”. This made me feel even worse as I resolved never to ask God that question again. However, recently I came across a certain song that really hit home for me. The song is called “Why God” by Austin French. I listened to the official music video and in the beginning, French is explaining that he felt like a bad Christian when he asked that question when his father was dying. He felt like he was not allowed to ask that. But then, he says, he became a dad and his son started asking those “why” questions. And through this God showed him that He is not afraid of our hard questions; and that asking “why God?” did not make him a bad Christian. Instead, it made him a kid. God is our Father; we are His children.

I believe that it was God that placed this song right where it needed to be so that I found it. It was exactly what I needed to hear in a really important time in my life.

I believe it is perfectly fine to ask God “why?” It does not show that we are doubting Him. It shows that we are having trouble understanding our situation or circumstances and that we really do want to understand. It shows God that we see Him as a Father whom we can go to with our questions and concerns no matter how difficult they might be. God is our Father, and we are His children. Ask Him “why?” and listen for the answer.

Brittany Bylsma