…wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar… – Jeremiah 15:18, KJV

Have you ever wondered why God has allowed a crisis in your life? Most have, and it is not hard to imagine circumstances that would drive people to such questioning. Many Christians who are suffering loss, ill health, financial struggle, or constant conflict wonder why they are going through their current struggles. Wondering “why” in and of itself is not wrong as long as we do so in an attempt to understand the mind of God for our lives. But, if we wonder “why” in an accusatory fashion, we ought to beware. No one likes to be called unfaithful, and the Holy Creator is no different.

In Jeremiah 15, the troubled prophet, weary of constant persecution, accused God of being a liar. God, in Jeremiah’s estimation, was not protecting him from persecution as promised. In verse 19, God replies;

Therefore thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah]: If you return [and give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair], then I will give you again a settled place of quiet and safety, and you will be My minister; and if you separate the precious from the vile [cleansing your own heart from unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God’s faithfulness], you shall be My mouthpiece… (Jeremiah 15:19, Amplified Bible)

In short, God told Jeremiah to watch his tone, get his heart right, and respect His Father – or else.

Jeremiah is not alone in receiving such a rebuke from God. Job accused God of mistreating him without a cause, and in Job 38 and 39, God responded with arguments that boiled down to this: “Boy, you don’t know nearly as much as I know. You don’t have a clue why things happen the way they do, and you’ve got no idea what My perfect plan is. Do you really want to question Me, the Creator of all things? Not wise.”

Whenever we question God in an accusatory tone, we are questioning His faithfulness to us. Questioning God’s faithfulness is an affront to His holiness, and that is out and out sin.

When faced with struggles, the proper attitude is not to act like we know more than God regarding what is best for us. The proper attitude is to recognize that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts, that His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), and that He will use everything in our lives to make us more like Him (Romans 8:28).

The next time you feel like questioning God’s motives or methods, don’t. Remember that between the two of you, the only one that is all-knowing, all-understanding, and all-holy is God. He will always know what’s best for you. Just remember that there is always purpose wrapped within the pain, and it is your task not to accuse God for the pain but to ask Him to show you His purpose.