Questions

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8 ESV). And, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14 ESV).

But the truth is that even the most mindful disciple runs into questions that she can’t answer. Sometimes we spend a lifetime wrestling with at least one query for which we never seem to find a satisfying answer. While it isn’t a reason, necessarily, to cease looking for the answers, we shouldn’t feel as though all is lost; faith is all about believing when you don’t have all the answers. It is about trusting that God is looking out for you, and that the scriptures will never lead you astray.

Scriptures don’t speak about all situations that we may face in life. Nowhere does the Bible promise that you will be intellectually satisfied with everything you read. Yet that doesn’t mean that the Bible is simply to be read and obeyed without involving our minds. We didn’t check our brains at the door when we came to faith.

We may study and pray and search the scriptures for our entire lives without finding the answers to every question we have, but all of our questions will be answered. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV).

My posts so far have tried to answer questions; and I hope to continue answering questions. But I’d also like to look at some things for which we don’t have answers beyond the familiar Christian platitudes. I’m willing to do the work in prayer and in study to find answers where answers may be found, but I’m also willing to work to find answers where they may not exist on this earth.

I believe that when we wrestle with the tough questions, we get to know God and ourselves a little better. I also believe that in seeking answers to those tough questions will better enable us to find and provide answers to a world desperately looking for answers. The prayer and study efforts we put it will also help us to better relate to the individuals struggling in a lost world.

Sometimes being a disciple calls for hard decisions. Sometimes it means we must choose to believe despite a lack of answers. The “why” must never impede nor supersede the call or the “what.” Sometimes we have to go before we are given a destination. We all love the “why,” but faith never requires it.

We can, however, learn from the questions without answers… if we are mindful, and if we are willing to obey even when we don’t understand.

In the new year I hope to look at some of these questions on a semi-regular basis. If you have questions that have troubled you that you would like to see addressed, please leave them in the comments or contact me by the email address in my profile.

Blessings on your day!