Of Questioning God

Why? How? When? All of us who know the Lord have questions for him. But are they OK? Is it right to question God?

Interestingly, the answer is not as simple as one might think. There is no clear yes or no. Sometimes in Scripture, people ask God questions and get the answer. Sometimes, questions earn judgment. The content of the question is not the primary issue. The issue is one of heart.

Consider two questions from Luke chapter 1. In this chapter, two people ask an angel rather comparable questions. Zechariah and Mary both have something they want to know. To the casual observer, it might even look like they are asking the same sort of thing. But Zechariah meets with displeasure and judgment while Mary has her question answered.

When the angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that he and his wife will soon have a son, the old priest cannot fathom how this might come to pass.

Luke 1:18-21 – 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

When Gabriel tells the virgin Mary that she will bear the Christ, she too cannot fathom how this will take place.

Luke 1:34-38 – 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

What is the difference between the two questions? Faith. Zechariah is asking the angel to give him some sort of proof that his promise will come true. Mary is simply asking the angel a logistical question, how she, a virgin, can conceive. One doubts. The other believes and wonders how the Lord will do what he obviously will do. The first is offensive to the angel. The second pleases him.

In our lives, we have questions. How long, O Lord? Why did this happen? When will you change things? How will you help us make ends meet? Any of these questions can be pleasing to the Lord. Any of them can dishonor him. The heart behind the question, the faith behind the question, these are the issues that make the questions right or wrong.

When you have questions for God, check your heart. Are your questions born of doubt or of trust? Are your questions demanding that God answer you or are they simply asking for data? Are your questions accusing God or trusting him? Are your questions believing he is good but asking for help understanding, or are they demanding that God justify his actions to your satisfaction?

God is good. His ways are perfect. His methods are beyond our finite ability to grasp. Let us trust him. Let us know that what he does is right. Then, when we have questions about how, when, or why, we can ask them from a place of faith and trust.