It's Okay to Question God

By Nicole Lofton

There is a taboo when it comes to questioning God and it makes people very fearful. I come to find that many people feel as if questioning God demonstrates a lack of faith or that it will result in some kind of punishment. I, for one, used to be one that did not want to question God because I didn’t want to demonstrate a lack of faith. I mean, after all, we are supposed to fully trust him right? So, if I were to question him, would I really be trusting him? This was a battle that many others and I have gone through.

Once I started developing a deeper relationship with God, I began to realize that it is ok to question him. In fact, it is a good thing. Various scriptures in the Bible support this, but one that comes to mind the most is “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”(Matthew 11:28, NIV). If we break down this scripture Jesus is saying to come to him, meaning come to him with your concerns, come to him with what is bothering you and even who is bothering you, and yes come to him with your questions. We can talk to God just like we talk to our friends and family. It’s about the relationship. If we can have regular conversations and ask questions to our family and friends, why can’t we do so when it comes to God?

Now, also pay attention to the end of the scripture “I will give you rest. Why the emphasis on rest? Jesus could have said anything in this scripture, but he decided to put rest. I believe I have a good idea why, it’s because we hold stuff in and try to figure things out on our own. We then begin to worry and stress ourselves out. Those worries and stressors then lead to conditions such as anxiety and depression. However, if we come to him, he will relieve us. We will not have to worry or wonder anymore. We won’t have to try to figure every little detail in that particular moment. We won’t have to continue to cry ourselves to sleep. We won’t have to be fearful, because God will give us rest. ​

I believe that many of our worries and anxieties come from the lack of answers to our thoughts, desires, and questions. I also believe that many of our disappointments stem from expectations. If we would take a moment to ask God “why, who, what, and/or where” then most certainly he would provide an answer. The answer may not be what we expected, and it may not come instantly, but it will come. Answers come in various forms and sometimes one of those forms is silence. Silence is something that sometimes causes us to be frustrated, but silence is not a bad thing. Silence could mean waiting a little longer, it could mean to slow down, it could mean to trust what God has already given you. The key is to ask and watch what happens after you ask. That’s how you foster a relationship, God loves when we talk to him, but also when we listen.

Nicole Lofton
https://www.purposewhispers.com

​Nicole Lofton is a anti-domestic violence advocate and certified christian life coach. After surviving domestic violence and other personal situations in life, Nicole felt led to advocate, educate, and empower others through her story. Nicole is also the founder of Faithful Deeds Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to restore hope by being faithful and committed to those in need. Nicole’s faith plays a big part in her personal and professional life. She seeks to be a beam of light that allows people to see the connection between their pain and their purpose.
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