Questioning God

Happy Friday here. Welcome to She Prays on Friday. I’m sitting here with an oversized bandage taped to my chin, due to a medical procedure, protecting what my doctor expects to turn black and blue by morning. I sort of feel like I was knocked silly by the neighborhood bully. Tomorrow I will look like it, which is fabulous because I am speaking at 9:00 a.m. No. This is unequivocally NOT how I anticipated spending my weekend, but as you know, the stuff of life doesn’t always work out seamlessly. At times it leaves us in a quandary, and often worse.

Maybe you have a situation in your life that is not turning out the way you planned? You have been diligent. Faithful. Certain of what your heard God speak over your life. But reality proves differently. You didn’t make the needed scores, or the business arrangement fell through. Your loved one did not recover. They did not select you for the position. Or, the relationship you have agonized and prayed over has gone belly up. These are the perfect environments to cultivate doubt and discouragement, leaving you questioning God. You might think, “WHAT IN THE WORLD are YOU doing, Lord? This is not the way it was supposed to play out.”

I can relate 100%. One thing I find to be effective when I’m puzzled, frustrated, or even a little spiritually black and blue is to approach my situation in the same manner we find Habakkuk advancing. This man posed questions before God such as ours.

Habakkuk’s Example

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry, “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Habakkuk 1:2-3

Habakkuk wrote these down and then waited expectantly for God to respond.

I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. Habakkuk 2:1

If I take my cues from Habakkuk, I will write my questions down, likely in a journal. Journaling helps me focus my quandary AND prepares me to wait for an actual response. It could be as pointed as, “What about X? And how about Y? You know, my situation is not working out as I expected. Did I hear you correctly? Am I on the right track?”

Often you and I don’t even know how to invite other people into the difficulty. But God, in His kindness, His tenderness, His perfect understanding of who we are, and what we will need, meets us with His Word.

“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the LORD; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God. Isaiah 66:9

Only God knows what you are going through. I cannot imagine the uncertainties, the bewilderments, injuries, and disappointments you are encountering. Likely, you possess a limited understanding of God’s Hand on your present situation and what the future may hold. Sweet friend, you are not alone. Many of us can relate, even if we cannot articulate our puzzled state to another.

What Can We Do When Questioning God?

What we CAN do is take our quandary to the Lord. God’s response to Isaiah is encouraging beyond words. If He ordains it (whatever “it” is in your particular situation), if what we are trusting Him for aligns with His heart and purpose for our lives, then we can take it to the spiritual bank. Your God will be faithful to see all the details through to completion, even if life doesn’t turn out as you and I envision.

Right now, your situation may look impossible. Don’t stop believing in God’s omnipotence. Do not lose heart. Remember with Whom you are dealing. He does not bring us to the edge in order to push us over plunging toward our demise. God’s dealings with us do not need to make sense or work out like a fairy tale. Still. He loves you and will be faithful forevermore.

“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the LORD; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”

No.

My Prayer for You Today

Lord,

Some days, in particular situations, questions arise. And when that happens it gives room for all sorts of negative emotions and doubts. We wonder what in the world You are doing. Did we hear You correctly when we thought You told us to move in a certain direction or follow a particular path? All roads forward seem to close in on us and there is not a Plan B illuminated. We desperately want to know if we can hear you? Are you speaking in these areas? Are we on the right course? What should we do now?

So, for my friend, reading, I primarily ask that You grant her the ability to see You at work in her life. Help her recognize the difference between what SHE wants and what YOU desire. Bring these differences into harmony for Your glory. Move her to seek Your face. And when she does –enable her to believe that she can trust what You tell her. Help her know, that in the midst of her predicament not going as planned, You are in it to the finish.

I ask that you answer her questions. But even if you choose not to, show her Your way forward. What is the path that demonstrates a belief and trust in You? Give her confidence in Your Divine power to reveal Yourself and Your purposes to her as you so desire.

In the glorious and powerfully able Name of Jesus, Amen.

Thanks for stopping by. I pray we meet again soon.

For His Glory,

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Have you discovered Cheri on YouVersion where she has over TWENTY different reading plans for you to choose from, such as:

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You can meet Cheri on the She Yearns blog for more truth-saturated, Gospel-centered encouragement like this: