God is not afraid of our questions – no matter their content. However, we must be thoughtful about the manner in which we ask our questions.
Our questions should not be posed in such a manner that we are insulting God and demeaning His character.
Our questions should be posed with the desire to gain understanding and insight.
What questions might you have? Your questions might be to gain insight into a problem you are facing.
Your questions might pertain to how God answered a prayer, when it differed from your expectations.
Your questions could be related to gaining further insight into a passage in the Bible you don’t understand.
There are many reasons to ask God questions.
Consider how you ask people questions. When we ask someone for help, if we are insulting and demanding, how far does that get us? Why would we think that we should be disrespectful toward God when we have questions? That is wrong thinking. God deserves our best attitude.
Proverbs 16:24: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
When we take our questions to God, we need to be totally honest with God (after all, He does already know everything that is happening).
Our questions should be sincere, not flippant.
Our questions should be with a heart open to receive what God has to say. Our questions should align with what God’s Word tells us.
For instance, Jeremiah 29:11 states: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” You may be considering that verse and a situation in your life. Perhaps your husband, whom you have loved and devoted your life to just walked out on you. You may be wondering how that possibly could be a good plan for your life. Ask God. But God wants you to ask Him with a mind willing to receive what He has to say, which may be different than what you want Him to say.
When asking God questions, please remember that the answer to your question may be different for you, than a friend in a similar situation who asks God a similar question.
God’s answers are not “pat” answers. We are each individually and fearfully made in His image. But Godhas a unique path for each of us.
Consider Romans 8:28 : “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This promise from God does not always appear on the surface to be taking place in the circumstances of our lives.
Perhaps you have lost your job, or your child passed away. Those situations could evoke questions posed to God regarding how that could relate to Romans 8:28. Ask your questions, but with a submissive heart, and respectful attitude, know God does love you, and He truly knows what is best. He knows everything about our situation and our future, our knowledge is extremely limited, and often we have tunnel vision.
God gives us guidance in James 1:5-6 regarding what we can ask Him for: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
The above verse reminds us that when we ask God for something, we need to come by faith, trusting Him and believing that He wants to answer us. Asking God questions based upon Scripture is also important.
Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Asking God questions is part of prayer, since prayer is communication with God. The above verse reminds us that we should ask with a heart of thanksgiving. When we ask in this manner, we find that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds, and we will be able to receive God’s answers without fussing over those answers. We will also be able to wait upon God for the answers that don’t come immediately. His timing is perfect, ours is not.
The book of Habakkuk is a wonderful model for us when we are asking God questions. Below is one of his questions, with God’s replies:
Habakkuk 1:3: “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.” Today we could be asking this same question of God. It does appear as though God is tolerating sinful wrongdoing, but God is aware, and has a plan that will be displayed in His perfect timing.
Habakkuk 1:5: “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if I told you.” God’s response to Habakkuk indicates that he would not understand everything. We must remember that God is infinite, we are finite, therefore, we won’t understand everything He tells us…that is the life of faith.
Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”Habakkuk’s response to God’s answers – he would rejoice and be joyful IN his amazing God and Savior. When the world around us looks like it is crumbling, trusting God is always the response that will bring us peace in the midst of turmoil and the unknown.
Consider the book of Revelation. We don’t understand all of it, but God has communicated with us through the entire Bible an outline of His plans for the world, summing those plans up in Revelation 21-22. We need to keep our focus on God, and the future plans He has for us, especially when His answers don’t necessarily make sense, or are not what we want to hear.
Take heart, when you have a living and active relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, all is well. All is well, not because of what we have done or might do, and not because of our circumstances, but because of His amazing salvation.
If you do not have a personal relationship with God, what is holding you back? I would like the privilege of talking with you about your relationship with God.
Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2023 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.