Why is it so easy for us to question God?
One second we love and trust Him and can so clearly see His plan and direction of our life and then out of nowhere He just lays a big one on you. Our instant reaction is questions of pain anger or hurt. We quickly place the blame on God for our current misfortune.
But why are we so quick to question His great plan when we know by experience that His work in our lives is perfect?
This scenario happens every day. We may ask: “God why am I in pain?”; “Lord why can’t I find a job?”; “Father what purpose does this person have in my life?”
David even questioned. In Psalm 143 David cried out to the Lord to listen to him and answer his prayers. He begged the Lord not to drag out his pain and humiliation.
David calls and questions but in an instant remembers who he is questioning — God. This is the same God that created the heavens and the earth and the God that has personally planned and molded each one of our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11 reads “‘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.'”
I’m going through the Bible with my roommate and for the last week and a half we have been reading through Job. Talk about someone who questions God! I feel like for the past week all we have been reading are questions that Job is asking God and Job’s friends trying to answer the questions that only God can answer. God finally decides to answer Job but in a way that gives us a little glimpse of His sarcasm.
God takes two whole chapters in Job (38-39) to respond back to him with questions. He asks Job ridiculous questions we still ask today and can’t answer until we ask God in person.
“Who determined its [the earth’s] dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?” “Who makes the rain fall on barren land in a desert where no one lives?” “Who is wise enough to count all the clouds?” And the questions go on and on.
God is basically just confirming Job’s foolishness in questioning Him.
It is so easy for us out of our human nature to be angry and confused when “storms” come our way and things don’t go the way we planned them. But looking back on my experiences there have been so many times when things didn’t go my way though they ended up turning into something wonderful for me. That’s because His plan is perfect and always ends with glory being given to whom it belongs — Him.
I have to say that honestly I have been questioning God a lot lately. I believe it is a season of testing for me. I don’t quite know the answers yet but does that really matter? But He has shown me something through His written word in 1 Peter 5:6-10.
These verses really struck me where I presently am especially verse 10: “And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast.”
That’s it! That is what He is doing — restoring me. He is answering my questions on His terms and in His ways. He is showing me the questions I have for Him are nothing compared to His plans for me.
It is so easy for us to be selfish with our lives and our plans. He has given us so much. Yet we often think of ourselves before Him.
His love is so strong and so deep for us. It is our purpose in life to love Him in return. It is so easy to be consumed with our lives and our plans when in the end all that really matters is His love His plan and His glory.