This is a slightly edited version of part of a sermon I delivered in April encouraging the congregants to feel comfortable questioning God, asking what they might think are tough questions of God.
Introduction
I would like to encourage you, during this strange time of virus concern especially, by assuring you that it is OK to ask hard questions of God. It is even OK to ask questions of God that state or seem to imply some disappointment in God or confusion about what God is doing.
“What’s up with that, God?”
We are human. God knows this. God knows we become disappointed and confused. He knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us, regardless. God knows our actual thoughts and feelings. We cannot hide those from God.
God loves us. God does not just love the person we would like to present to God, or the person that we pretend to be to some people, or the person we are working on and hope to become. God loves “us”—the person that we actually are, right now, today. That is the person God knows and loves. So, it is OK to be that person with God.
Go ahead, ask God. Don’t be shy.
Don’t Let James 1:5-8 Stop You From Asking Hard Questions of God
Some people hesitate to ask tough questions of God because of James 1:5-8: “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. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do”
When I ask God, I must not doubt? No doubt? At all? None?!
And no doubt about what? God? That God will answer? That God will give me what I ask? That God can do what I ask?
Unstable in all that I do? Everything?!
We Are All Out to Sea
I think James’s “you must believe and not doubt” when you ask God something is an encouragement towards increasing our faith and lowering or eliminating our doubt about God’s ability to deliver. Not a requirement of no doubt. But encouraging us to work towards increasing our faith and lessening our doubts.
I do not think it is a rule regarding when God will and will not answer — “Oh, you did not hit 0% on the doubt scale, so nothing for you from God!”
That is, James explains that the reason you “must” believe and not doubt is that, otherwise, you will be “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Fair enough, James. That I am one who both believes and doubts puts me in danger of being blown about by the wind. I hear you. Aren’t we all on this sea, though?
I suppose that if I believe and have a little doubt, I met get blown about just a little. And if I believe a little and have a lot of doubt, then I am in danger of being blown all over the place. Fair enough.
It’s the Expectations
I suppose, too, that it is contradictory to both doubt that I will receive something and also expect to receive something, so maybe I, as James says, “should not expect to receive anything.”
But, yet, as I am one who both believes and doubts, even if I “should” not expect something, as James says, I still do expect something from God — the belief part of me expects to receive an answer from God.
So, I am a one who both believes and doubts. I think a lot of us Christians are that. And I am also one who expects to receive something from God.
So, I think that James explaining that “[s]uch a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do” refers to a person who doubts and does “not expect to receive anything.”
Or maybe I am “unstable in all that I do.” That, too, is possible. If that is true, would I know?! Anyway, I think I have a lot of company if that is true.
But Then I Realize: Let James 1:5-8 Encourage You to Ask Questions of God
But then I realize what James said in the first place: “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.” (James 1:5)
Whether I am unstable or not, whether I am blowing around on the sea like a sailboat in a hurricane, or whether I have a little doubt or a lot, God is not finding fault with me and is giving generously, per James.
So, ask away and expect to receive answers generously.
It’s Only Natural
In asking questions of God like the ones described below, you are not rejecting an expectation of receiving. Indeed, just by asking God, no matter how skeptical you might be in the moment, you are expressing some expectation of an answer.
It is only natural for us to wonder why is this taking place and to ask where is God in this? And to ask other questions of God.
Do not beat yourself up or be disappointed in yourself if you have questions for or about God. Ask the questions, especially the hard ones.
The Bible Gives Us Examples of Asking Questions of God
Be encouraged that the Bible gives examples of asking God such questions:
- “Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)
- “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)
- “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:2)
- “Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?” (Psalm 44:23-24)
- “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2)
- “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?” (Habakkuk 1:3)
- “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13)
- Jesus even asks of God “Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Notice all the assumptions and accusations in these questions—- that God is hiding Godself in times of trouble, that God has forgotten them, that God is sleeping and has rejected us, that God has forgotten our misery and oppression, that God isn’t listening, ….
Compare your questions with those! Those are ones in the Bible.
So, ask away. Ask God your questions.
You might ask God, “Why, LORD, do you stand so far off when people here are suffering from worry and anxiety about themselves and others regarding this virus? Why do hide yourself in this time of virus? Why don’t you help more?”
You might ask God “How long, Lord? Will you forget me and others as we struggle with this virus? How long will you hide your face from us while people suffer and worry? How long will you seem to be uninvolved with helping us?”
Ask your questions
Asking the Same Questions of Ourselves
When I ask questions of God, I try to ask those questions of myself, too.
This is doing, in part, what the Apostle Paul challenges us to do in 2 Corinthians 2:5-6: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? ….”
When I ask myself the same questions I have of God, I try to examine myself and how I answer those questions in the faith.
I try to put my trust in Jesus as I challenge myself with the same question.
So, for example, if you ask the questions I mentioned above to God, I encourage you to also ask yourself things like “Why do I – [insert your name here] – stand so far off when people here are suffering from worry … ?” Why don’t I help more? How long, [insert your name here]? Will I forget others as they struggle? How long will I remain uninvolved in helping them?”
Ask your own questions, though.
Asking and Listening
Sometimes God gives me answers to my questions of God when I ask such questions of myself. I know my answers are not the same as God’s answers, but some important things are often revealed in this process.
I realize I might be standing far off when I could comfort a friend, by being with them, for example. I discover how I could do more to help others. If I think about it, there is something I can do. And so on.
Sometimes I discover what actions I — myself — should be taking to reflect Christ.
So ask and listen.
Conclusion
So, first identifying the questions I have for God, and then asking these questions of God and myself, and engaging in prayer and Bible study and engagement over them with others and with God wherever I can, gives me knowledge and wisdom that helps me. And it gives me action I should take.
All that, just by asking some tough questions of God.
Ask away.
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Sources & Notes
All scripture from the NIV unless specifically mentioned otherwise.
Picture is from Pixel2013 on pixabay.
Many of us were taught not to bother G-d. Sure, say a prayer but no “vain repetition.” We were also taught not to waste G-d’s time.
Hi Mark, Thank you for your comment.
That’s too bad that you were taught not to bother God and not to waste God’s time. Since God is of infinite love — indeed God is love — all of your communication to God, your prayers, your questions of God, your talking with God, etc., is viewed by God as building a relationship with you and is not viewed by God as bothering God or a waste of God’s time. For the latter, even, as God is timeless, you couldn’t waste God’s time no matter how hard you tried!
“Vain repetition” comes from a translation of Matt 6:7, part of a longer passage in which Jesus teaches “when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites” who pray “to be seen by others.” Instead, Jesus says, “go into your room, close the door and pray” as God “sees what is done in secret.” Jesus isn’t telling us never to pray in front of others, but not to pray for the purpose of being “seen by others.” (Matt 6:5-6)
Continuing on in that theme, Jesus next says “when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Jesus says “do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matt 6:7-8)
Jesus isn’t telling us never to repeat things or never to pray for a long time. Instead, Jesus is telling us that we have a relationship with God. Indeed, God knows our every thought and deed. Relax, just talk with God. Some people don’t think of themselves as being “good at” talking. God hears us and understands whether we are “good at” talking or not, whether we have what some people think of as “good,” inspirational prayers or plain prayers, etc. Jesus is telling us that we shouldn’t think that we must extend ourselves to any meaningless words or that there is some kind of minimum-time requirement in order for God to hear us. God hears us. God wants us to talk with him.
The Lamentations are in the canon but were not really read even though it is a collection of cries to G-d. I thought how could it be wrong if it were in the canon. The prohibition on vain repetition was also used to trash any denomination or person who used a prayer book, even though I now know that some of those 500 year old prayers are very good and do work.
Here is my latest biblical issue to ponder, Steve. Increasingly, over the years there seems to be more and more truth being revealed to me because I did ask and research as best I could and meditate about things. I think a lot of Christians are victims of pat answers and cliches and not thinking bible topics through more thoroughly for themselves.
Anyways, ponder this one: why is it that God’s people are called by God’s name don’t use His name? In Malachi it specifically states that the Levite priests have fallen out of favor with God by not using God’s name so that it would be exalted all thoughout the earth.
We are still guilty of doing that today. Using “God” and “lord” in places places where we should be using Yahweh and Yeshua’s personal names as directed by our Abba.
Does it undermine revelation to people? Does it please Satan because we are less likely to see Yahweh as personal when we don’t use His name?
Yahweh always identifies everyone by a specific name in the Bible. By doing that is He making a specific point about the importance of identity or personhood?
We’re in a spiritual battle with Satan to be built up and restored with Yahweh’s nature. By not using Yahweh’s name and exalting it does that impede the spiritual progress of the world?
Birth is a constant topic throughout the Bible but birth isn’t easy. It is a hard, laborious process full of pain and effort and struggle.
There was a priestly conspiracy to stop the use of Yahweh’s name in spite of Yahweh wanting it exalted. Some details on that are in the Follower’s of Yah videos on Youtube. They noticed and traced the conspiracy is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel. Malachi has quite a lot to say on it too.
Imagine. The people who are called by God’s name are not using Yahweh. If they did maybe they would see Yahweh and Yeshua have different names. Many passages say Yeshua is the Son of God cf John 10, Acts 8, 1 John 5, etc. Maybe we can’t keep the relationship between Father and Son straight upsetting the spiritual unity of the world because we didn’t obey Yahweh and learn to use His personal name instead of this random deceptive title or term known as God.
Do you think Yahweh wants to be called “God”? I don’t. I think He wants His chikdren to use His name like He told them to do.
Yahweh be with you!
Steve, please continue to encourage people to ask questions. The reason I say that is that sometimes people over respect authority and the authorities are wrong. Many authorities like medical doctors and certain church denominations seem to encourage blind obedience but blind obedience is one way people are misled.
Just recently I discovered that I am experiencing a very serious side effect from a medication that I have been encouraged to take by the medical establishment as if it is my only option. I may have options on the alternative medicine side but I struggle with getting info on them because the medical doctors never know about them and are not taught to promote them as alternatives. They only warn people away from what might be the better help.
The medicine they have placed me on can cause hearing loss. I only discovered it because I asked questions. Before that I thought the hearing loss was a side effect of illness but no longer.
We can get scammed or be the victim of disinformation but we can also be injured by being over trusting.
Why is it that the medical personnel in this day and age are able to cut people off from better medical answers because they are not trained on them?
It seems to me the experts can sometimes be the enemy. Our first defense is using our own minds and praying that God teaches us common sense.
My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Asking questions is the first step in acquiring knowledge.
Don’t easily cede all your reasoning capability to other people as if they are worthy of making and controlling all your decisions in life. Because there is a lot of money to be made by the medical establishment IF their money cart isn’t upset by people asking questions.
Have a blessed day and sorry for the tangent but your mind and the ability to question things is of such great importance. Using it is the difference between being enslaved by sin, evil and incompetence or being set free from it all. Being too trusting can be a big liability in a world where appearances are deceiving and a lot of people are unwashed cups.