Not Why, But Who

Date: Friday, May 22, 2026

Job got stuck asking why. And honestly, that is an easy place for any of us to get stuck. Focus on what God does and we begin to move forward. Focus on who God is, His goodness, righteousness, sovereignty, and faithfulness— and we begin to look up. But linger too long on why, and the soul can slowly sink into bitterness, pride, resentment, and despair. Asking why is like quicksand. The harder we struggle to force answers from God, the deeper we sink. By Job 38, Job has spent chapter after chapter demanding explanations from God. But when God finally speaks, He answers Job out of the whirlwind itself, which is the very kind of force connected to Job’s suffering. The chaos was never outside God’s control, even when it felt completely outside Job’s. Yet God does not answer Job’s questions the way Job expected. Instead, He tells Job to brace himself and then asks question after question about creation, the stars, oceans, storms, sunrise, and mysteries of the universe: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” (Job 38:4). Job begins to realize there is far more happening in the universe than he could ever comprehend. The point is not humiliation, but humility. Faith does not always get an explanation, but it does get a deeper revelation of the greatness and sovereignty of God. Job never gets the explanation he wanted, but he does encounter the God he needed.

Psalm 118 answers the whirlwind with worship: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 118:1). This psalm was likely sung as a battle hymn by soldiers marching into war, repeating the refrain again and again because fear makes us forget. In seasons where God’s direction feels unclear, remembering His past faithfulness steadies the soul. The psalmist declares, “The Lord is my strength and my song” (Psalm 118:14). Not my circumstances. Not my understanding. The Lord Himself. And this psalm carries even greater weight when we remember it was likely one of the final songs Jesus sang with His disciples before walking toward Gethsemane and the cross. Imagine those words still echoing in His heart as He prepared to face the battle against sin and death.

Job 38 humbles us before the Creator, while Psalm 118 reminds us that this sovereign God is also good and faithful. The One who laid the foundations of the earth is the same God who entered our suffering in Jesus Christ, carried our grief, and conquered death through His resurrection. Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He speaks through it. Either way, His steadfast love endures forever.

Devotional Prompts:

Where are you stuck asking “why” instead of focusing on who God is?
What truth about God’s character do you need to keep repeating to yourself in the middle of your current battle?

Prayer: Lord, when I cannot understand what You are doing, help me trust who You are. Keep my heart from bitterness, pride, and despair when answers do not come. Teach me to rest in Your wisdom and cling to Your steadfast love that endures forever. Thank You for Jesus, who entered the battle against sin and death and secured the victory through His resurrection. Amen.