Can we Ask God Questions or Question Him? —R Fritz
Somebody said to me they were told we could not question God. I said it looks like people are confusing us about asking God a question or questioning God why he does certain things. These are two separate questions. We must look at our motives why we ask, is it anger or a wanting to know. Psalm 10:1 says “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” This is David questioning why God was standing far away and hiding, this is what David believes. We have a different take on what God should be doing because we do not know his ways. Because God is quiet does not mean he is not paying attention or does not care. We make assumptions from what we see other people doing. This is God, how can we compare God with humans and what we perceive as out of order. Isaiah 55:8-9 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We are trying to judge God but using our wisdom to judge God is foolish but let us be honest. Humans think they can know God without even studying the Bible. When we decide to study God, we learn certain things but not all things. We learn what God wants us to know. Our willingness to change and our want to know God will open the door to all God has for us otherwise we are living life on our wisdom losing out on life with God through the Holy Spirit.
I ask the Holy Spirit questions about what is going on in my life as well as people who God brings to me. If we are not asking God questions, how are we going to begin to find out who God is. The answers to my questions give me information to give to other people. The thing I see people do is make excuses why they cannot find information to learn who God is. We put other things before us to take us away from God. If we have the Holy Spirit, it lives in us and is where we are with him. Knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us gives us an opportunity to get close. We need to choose God over our things and make him first. I have had a lot of things going on the last couple of weeks and we focus on these things and less on God. What is interesting is the Holy Spirit did not forget me. Suddenly, I am getting answers to some of the issues I am dealing with which helps me finish with some of the issues one by one. It is the ability to get out from under not just my issues it involves other people that I am praying for and battling for them. Just like many of us we believe we cannot handle any more. When we have about all we can handle we pass it on to Jesus so we can take on even a little more. That is what happened to me, the Holy Spirit gave me answers to get through what I considered all I could take. Then I could keep taking on more that is what the Holy Spirit does for us. This is the verse that most people believe says God will not give us more than we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:14 says “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” This actually talks about temptation and not being tempted above what you are able, God will give us an escape. It does not deal with life and the things we deal with day to day when we have too many issues going on.
The verse that goes with us able to handle much is Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh inside me.” This is exactly what happened to me. We can do what we consider impossible because we have the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to do the impossible. We must learn we cannot do life ourselves, that is what we have done all our life till we chose Jesus. We will struggle without us getting the information we need from the Holy Spirit. God is waiting for us to ask for help or question the Holy Spirit how to do something. That is how our relationship with God will grow. What do we have to lose if we speak to God, on the other hand what will we gain. There is more to gain and nothing to lose. Our problem is we look at things differently than I do, that is because the Holy Spirit is doing my thinking and answers. It is like when we say half full or half empty.
My son died almost nine years ago. I was not angry at God, I just wanted to know why he was taking him at a young age, so I asked God why that happened. I was expecting an answer and got one two days later. The answer was something that surprised me. I have told certain people that would understand what the Holy Spirit told me, but it would really make us think. It made me think for a while, but I accepted it and moved on. About six months later I received more explanations from the Holy Spirit. I was not questioning God’s authority because he is God, I was asking why my son died, there is a difference. The Holy Spirit had a reason for me to know, it does not happen to all people. If he did not answer our questions immediately that does not mean that question will not be answered at a different time. We need to trust the Holy Spirit; he will answer in his time. We need to ask the question first to get an answer, do not give up. On the cross Jesus asked God a question. Matthew 27:46 says, and this is Jesus’ speaking “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It was a question that was not answered because Jesus died.
Whatever we say or do is first driven by our heart. Our heart and our feelings direct us. Those who learn to act slowly tend to get into less trouble. When we let the Holy Spirit in control of us by surrendering our heart and mind the results become as the Holy Spirit has prepared. James 1:19 says “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” When we act in our feelings we act from our flesh, a place that will not come with a good outcome. Sometimes the answer to our question is in us and God must get the answer to come out. Sometimes it takes a while for us to see the reality that God is showing us. God knows our heart and motives, so when we ask a question of God through the Holy Spirit, he knows whether to answer and when to answer when the time is right. Keep trusting in God, he will not let us down. God Bless.
