SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

DEVO:

My son is five years old (at the time of writing this), and he asks me a lot of questions. I mean, it’s non-stop. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy. It feels like every time I turn around he’s at my heels trying to get my attention and interrogate me on some trivial topic. I get annoyed by this, and I’m sure my irritation is sensed by him. 

Perhaps my annoyance (and no doubt yours, if you’ve experienced the same with your kids) is one of the reasons we have a skewed perspective of God. Perhaps this is why we tend to think that He would get agitated or upset by questions. Perhaps this is why many people hang on to the belief that one should never question God.

And yet, I see a much different picture in the book of Job. Throughout almost the entire book, Job is questioning God! Not only is Job heralded as a hero of the faith, but God made sure all of his questioning made it into the scripture! It seems as if God didn't merely tolerate Job’s questioning — He endorsed it!

The same seems to be true in the book of Psalms. The psalmists spend much of their time questioning God! “How long oh, Lord?” “Where have you gone?” “Why won’t you act on my behalf?”

Interestingly enough, if you were to attend a Jewish synagogue service, as in Jesus’ day, there would be more discussion and asking questions than there would be teaching and giving answers. To a Jewish person, the fundamental practice of working out their faith is by way of questioning, analyzing, and pushing back on God. This is why Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel” in Genesis 32 and why “Israel” became the namesake of God’s people. “Israel" means “one who wrestles with God." It seems that God not only tolerates Jacob physically pushing back on Him, but He welcomes it.

Just like He demonstrated in the story of Jacob, God meets us in our wrestling too. For far too long meaning pastors and church leaders have told you that if you have faith you won’t question God. And that’s just not true. Again, in the book of Job we see a man who was celebrated for his faith and his upright character -- but he sure did have a lot of questions for God. Unfortunately many faith leaders are afraid that you’ll stray away from your faith if you begin down the road of asking God questions. They’re concerned that the questions will lead to doubts and skepticism and that eventually you’ll abandon the whole thing altogether. But I happen to believe that God is big enough to handle your questions. I believe that it’s through our questions to Him that He meets us in personal and profound ways. There is a beauty and blessing that is only found in wrestling.

Once I was coaching a couple who had lost their son to suicide. In one of our sessions they both broke down to me saying they just didn’t understand where God was at the moment their son took his own life. They were confused because they thought he had made a decision to follow Jesus as his personal savior, so how could God abandon him in those final moments? How could their son come to such a place of despair? These are very difficult questions with complex theological implications. It would have been very easy, and it was very tempting, to do what many people do when they’re confronted with uncomfortable questions and that is to try and defend God. I could have easily whitewashed the whole thing by telling them they just needed to believe and trust that God is good. However, doing so would have robbed them from a very personal healing journey The Lord wanted to take them on. 

So instead of offering them pat answers, I just sat and listened and nodded agreeingly as the dam of their grief broke and the flood waters of despair and anger rushed over them. Once I felt that they had fully released their unanswered (and up to this point, unexpressed) questions. I simply leaned toward them and inquired, “Have you asked God those questions?” They both kind of stiffened up for a second and looked at me puzzled, “Of course not. We would never want to question God. That’s not trusting Him.” 

I smiled at them understandingly and began to explain to them that there is a difference between going to God with their questions and running away from God (or avoiding Him) in their questions. The latter will lead to more bitterness and despair. The former, however, is the portal to healing and restoration.

You see, I believe there are two different ways we can tend to question God. There are questions motivated by defiance, and there are questions motivated by genuine curiosity and a desire to understand. When I ask my kids to clean their room, I know the difference between a “why” that actually means “No, I don’t want to” and a “why” that is genuinely curious as to what the purpose is for cleaning their room.

I believe God welcomes our “why”s when they come from a genuine place of wondering, curiosity, and even frustration with not understanding. I believe God welcomes with open arms questions motivated by a desire to understand the purpose behind the pain that’s been allowed into your life. God isn’t intimidated by your questions. He’s not taken aback by your anger and frustration. He can handle your doubts and fears. In fact, the best way for you to experience deeper growth and blessing in your relationship with God is to push back on Him. Go to Him with your questions. Go to Him with your fears. Go to Him with your doubts and frustrations. It forges a truer and more intimate relationship with Him.

This doesn’t mean we will get all the answers to our questions or see the results that we want. But it does create a stronger relationship with Him — and that is what will truly satisfy us in the end.

So what happened with that couple I was coaching? I challenged them to begin taking these questions to God. When they came back the following week for their next session, I saw a visible difference in both of their countenances. They shared with me a powerful and personal story of how God met them that week and showed them that He was there with their son. They explained how God showed them that He was with them too during it all, and that He’s never left their side since. They shared with me that they didn’t necessarily receive answers to all their questions, but they got something even better -- they got their souls satisfied. They received a reassurance that God has been with them, and that had become a true salve to their tender, broken spirits.

So today I want to give you permission to go to God with all of your questions. As we’ll talk about in a couple days, in doing so you may not get a full explanation for what you’re going through, but God will give you something even better.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND JOURNALING:

1. What questions do you have for God regarding your tragedy, trial, or transition? 

2. What doubts do you have about God because of what you’re going through? 

3. What frustrations do you have toward God?

4. Begin journaling out these thoughts. Take them to the Lord. Like the child with the neverending barrage of questions, bring to Him every thought you have. He can handle it.

PRAYER:

Lord, there are times I must admit I’m frustrated, angry, hurt, and disenfranchised by what I’m going through. Please help me to see You as a God who is not far off and condescending. Help me to see You for who You are as a God who welcomes my questions. In Your time, reveal to me the purpose You have in this pain. Help me to turn to You first when I’m angry, hurt, and frustrated about my situation.