“You are right, O God, and you set things right. I can’t argue with that.
But I do have some questions:
Why do bad people have it so good?
Why do con artists make it big?
You planted them and they put down roots.
They flourished and produced fruit.
They talk as if they’re old friends with you,
but they couldn’t care less about you.”
- Jeremiah 12:1-2 [The Message]

How do you respond to God when you think He is not doing His job? Often our response is to tell God what he should do. We know what is wrong and we have some ideas of how to fix the problem. In this response we are usurping God’s position. It is like a young boy asking his uncle, “Are you a know-it-all?”

Our problem is that we do not know everything. But, God does and He is good and can be trusted for what we do know know.

Notice how Jeremiah handles this difficulty. First, he affirms who God is. “You are always righteous, O Lord.” [NIV] By faith, Jeremiah believes that God has the answer to his question.

Second, he knows that the problem of understanding is his problem, not God’s. Jeremiah does not come to God to argue, but to plead for understanding.

Third, Jeremiah knows that he can approach God and ask the hard questions. Sometimes we receive answers and sometimes we are left struggling with hard questions. Why is this? There is a verse from a John Newton hymn that gives us insight.

“Lord, why is this?” I trembling cried, “Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“Tis in this way”, the Lord replied, “I answered prayers for grace and faith.”
“These inward trials I employ, from pride and self to set thee free,
and break they schemes of earthly joy, that thou mayest seek they call in Me.”