When my 3-year-old entered the “why” phase of her life, I assumed it was just that—a phase. Now, close to a year later, I feel we may never exit this phase. And while on some days it can be quite exasperating, it is also a strangely wonderful new way of looking at the world.
“Why does my suction cup bowl stick to the counter but not to the table?”
“Why does Sarah (a high schooler) get to sit in the front seat of the van even though she’s a kid?”
“Why do leaves turn red and yellow but not purple?”
There are so many “why” questions in a day, that it becomes easy to want to shut down the flow of wondering. I’ve addressed the whole justification for “because I said so” in a previous blog. But sometimes the questions are not about obedience to a request; she just wants to understand how the world works. And no answer in itself is sufficient, but it also breeds a new “why” question. Eventually, she gets me to the point where the answer seems to be “just because.” But that often is not the answer. (As my English-teacher mother explains, because is a conjunction, not a reason.) Often, the answer is the sovereignty of God. Why did God make the dads in charge of the families? Why do some people not have enough food to eat? Why was there a big storm last night?
It is so comforting that, while not knowing how or why, we are able to trust a sovereign God. While God’s thoughts and ways are not only different than ours, they are higher (Isaiah 55:8-9). They are better. We can trust. Even when we don’t understand.
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