Questioning God When I Don’t Understand

My 17 year old son Nate (www.nateedmondson.com) works with our church’s youth group. Recently a 6^th grader came to him with some questions.  He was struggling to understand two main questions.  1) How can God hear everyone’s prayers at one time?  And; 2) Why does God allow the suffering that has happened in his family?  My son asked me how he should address the boy’s questions. 

Of course, these are simple questions when you are as mature and experienced as a pastor as I am, so I quickly laid out for him the proper, convicting, easy answers for this 6^th grade juvenile.      

NOT!

If I had easy answers to those questions I’d write my book and retire!  Those questions are just as relevant today if you are a 6^th grader or a 60 year old.  God is big and I can’t fully comprehend all His ways. 

The dilemma of the ages is this: 

If God is all powerful, why doesn’t He stop all suffering? 

If God is all loving, doesn’t He care enough to intervene on our behalf?

If God is all knowing, then why doesn’t He stop the trials before they come into our life?

Yet the Psalmist David writes, “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. (Psalms 62:11-12 NIV)

John writes, “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions.” (John 16:30 NIV)

I don’t have answers to those questions.  I have some, but as soon as I attempt to answer them something else will happen that I don’t understand and I will be faced with a new dilemma.  No, in order to make peace with questions like this my only option is to believe in what I cannot see.  I must have a faith that’s larger than my experience.  I must choose to trust a God who is the answer to all the questions that I have. 

 I close with the “answer” God gave Job when he was asking similar questions.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. (Job 38:1-3 NIV)  You can read God’s complete answer HERE.   

Don’t ever be afraid to ask the tough questions.  I’m glad this 6^th grader is asking them.  Just know that God holds the answers and there are many questions in this life you and I may never fully comprehend.