Interrogating God

Why do we think that God owes us answers?

As I often do, the other day I was wondering. I was thinking to myself about all the different questions that I’ve had for God over this year.

Questions like:

-Why did this happen to me?

-How come you opened a door and then closed it right away?

-Why didn’t this work out for me?

-If this is your plan for me, why do I still feel so confused?

These are just a few of those questions. I ask God questions all the time. Not the kinds of questions that might be part of a genuine prayer and making my requests known to God… But questions that are more about me interrogating God. Questions that are more about me getting answers, and trying to figure out God’s intentions.  

But why am I interrogating God?

We all have questions. God expects us to ask questions. But I’m not sure my questions were coming to God with the right heart. Instead of a trusting heart, my questions often come to God from a doubtful heart. When I ask God why, I’m not really asking for him to reveal the reasons why and the lessons I was supposed to learn from something. Rather, oftentimes when I ask God why, it’s almost like I’m hinting at some anger, and blame I have for God.

When we start asking questions with the wrong attitude, we’re interrogating God out of distrust, doubt, and suspicion. Sometimes our questions even begin to attack God’s character.

It’s easy to think that God owes us answers… especially when things don’t go our way or a bad situation comes up in life.

The book of Habakkuk gives a great example of this. Habakkuk questions God, in fact, Scripture says he even cried out to God with those questions. But his questions were coming from the right heart. His crying out to the Lord leads up to one of my all time favorite passages in Scripture:

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.” -Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk probably felt like he was at rock bottom; broken, crumbling, empty, and left with nothing. So he did cry out to God. And he did come before God asking him why. But in all of those questions he still rejoiced. He still recognized that God was in complete control and would enable him to get through what he was experiencing, even if he couldn’t understand why.

God doesn’t owe us answers. He might give you the answers you want or He might not, but He will most definitely give you what you need to make it through whatever ugly situations cause you to question in the first place.

If anything remember this: there is a difference between questioning God and doubting God and his goodness. Ask God questions, ask God why, and learn the answers, but be careful of the heart those questions are coming from.

“Quit questioning God and start trusting Him!” –Joel Osteen