Remember when you were a kid and someone asked why and you didn't know and you would say, "Just because."? (O, was that just me?) Well, it might not be such a bad answer.
We Christians like to ask God why when bad things happen. I guess its a natural reaction. However, I don't think knowing the answer would help as much as we'd like to think.
Then, skeptics like to ask why as a challenge to our faith. They like to say things like, "Why would a loving God send people to Hell?" "Why would a God who doesn't need anything make a universe?" "Why would we be required to worship a God who is supposed to be self sufficient?" "If God is real, why doesn't he just show himself to people so they could believe in him?" etc.
If you're ever dealing with someone like that, I think I have a great answer for you. Its short and I suspect that most intellectually oriented skeptics would not find it very satisfying. But I think its right. Its kind of like a kid saying, "just because". The honest answer is--it doesn't matter.
Seriously, first of all, knowing why would not really solve their intellectual problems with God. Secondly, if there is a God (and there is), then by definition he is perfect. Being perfect he gets to do whatever he wants to do. It doesn't matter whether or not we approve or understand. Thirdly, if Isaiah 55:7-8 is true (and it is), then God is so different, so beyond us that we would not understand why he does things even if he told us.
So, why ask why when it probably won't help the situation? I remember my New Testament professor at Baylor, Dr. Hillburn, telling us that our Christian lives would be better spent asking God "what?" and "how?" and then obeying, rather than "why?" Great idea, why not try it?
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