Certainly, health experts around the world are trying to figure out how the coronavirus works to stop it, cure it and prevent it.
Why is God doing this to us? Doesn’t He care?
If I were God, I would never allow something this horrible to happen to my children!
These kinds of thoughts and frustrations can be prevalent during times of difficulty and suffering. I’ll leave the theological implications of these thoughts to our theologians. I want to address them from an emotional and psychological perspective.
When we feel scared and overwhelmed, something many of us quickly can go to are the “why” questions. We Americans like to think, “Once I know why something is happening, then I’ll know how to handle it.” We love to hang onto that perspective – it can give us a sense of hope and control. We can figure things out and, in turn, we have the ability to control the outcome.
This method can be effective in the physical world – i.e., if I can figure out why a recipe didn’t work, then I can correct it next time; if I can figure out why my car won’t start, then I can fix it and use the car again.
The problem in the psychological realm is that this doesn’t work. We can’t figure God out no matter how hard we try – His ways and thoughts are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8,9) and His greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3). It is a hopeless endeavor to figure Him out, so it is pointless to even try.
To make matters even more confusing, there are times in the Bible, God does give us His “why” answers, and not exactly what we are looking for!
How often have you felt great understanding and control when you ask God why He is letting you suffer and His answer is something like, “So you’ll depend on Me more?” Do you jump up and down that He answered you? Do you get excited by the response? Or maybe do you get upset because you wanted Him to give you some fancy, detailed answer that is supposed to explain the “why” to you?
So what are healthy ways to move from the “why” questions that won’t be helpful in the situation to a more productive line of seeking understanding?
Consider the five reporter questions: Who? How? When? Where? What? They can often be directive.
- What is God calling me to do now?
- How can I learn to depend on Him more even when I don’t understand?
- God is the one who can love me, care for me in my anger and fear, and give me true hope.
God will speak to us and lead us if we seek Him. But we do need to be ready to let Him lead, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. He does, after all, know what He is doing.
Looking for more? See my contact information below:
Doug Feil MS, LPC (720-689-4631) dfeil@feilcounselingandconsulting.com
6112 S. Devinney Way, Littleton, CO 80127