God gets the credit for a lot of things we do not understand. Like earthquakes and tsunamis.

Generations of tribesmen and Greeks believed thunder and lightning were caused by gods throwing spears at each other. The Lakota Sioux have a special dance to appease their rain god, and the Mayans sacrificed their best warriors to keep God happy and generous.

Now that scientists can explain tsunamis with digitally-enhanced diagrams of undersea mountains, we still wonder if all this really isn’t God’s doing. “Indonesia and Thailand got hit because of all the child prostitution,” one radio preacher says. “The hurricanes have come to Orlando because of Disney,” another fervently intones. And you know, of course, that Boston won the world series because God finally lifted "The Curse of the Bambino!"

If we don’t understand, or if it’s too amazing to explain, we glance warily upward and shout praises or curses at God. We scream “Why?” questions, and assume silence means God has turned off His answering machine. Blaming God somehow makes it easier to go on.

I have asked many “Why?” questions in my life. Why did my brother die of cancer at age 29? Why didn’t my mother live long enough to meet my wife? Why do weather disasters usually harm the poorest of the poor? Why would anyone abuse children? Why? Why? Why?

Then, one day, God used the voice of a much-abused Christian to answer. That day I learned that “Why?” is an invalid question for humans to ask of God. He knows us well enough to know just how much we can understand, so His answer to our “Why?” is almost always, “Trust Me. When you’re able to handle the answer, I will give it gladly. Till then, hold on.”

Even the Bible prophet, Habakkuk, suffered from the “Blame God” disease. “You trampled the sea with your horses,” he writes, “churning the great waters. I heard … and my legs trembled.”

Then Old Man Habakkuk suddenly got his wits back, settled down, and wrote one of the most amazing faith passages in literature.

“Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen,

Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted,

Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,

I’m singing joyful praise to GOD.

I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.

Counting on GOD’s Rule to prevail,

I take heart and gain strength.

I run like a deer.

I feel like I’m king of the mountain!" (Habakkuk 3:17-20, The Message)

“I don’t have to understand or explain the events of today,” I hear the old prophet saying. “All I have to do is trust, and celebrate the certainty of God’s ultimate victory.”

Dick Duerksen is an assistant vice president for mission development at Florida Hospital.