Questions

Why?

Why is a question I have been asking myself a lot lately...and I never seem to have the answer, but I think that's a good thing actually.

I've been told my whole life that "Why" is such a bad question (and even questions in general), but WHY is "why" such a bad question??

I've been reading "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell and I am in LOVE with the first chapter, because of what he says about questions: "A Christian doesn't avoid the questions; a Christian embraces them. In fact, to truly pursue the living God, we have to see the need for questions. Questions are not scary. What is scary is when people don't have any."

Then he talks about this night he hosted at his church when people could anonymously ask any questions they want...and some where VERY deep and hard.
He goes onto say, "It wasn't the information that helped them--it was simply being in an environment in which they were free to voice what was inside. And this is why questions are so central to faith."

Asking questions means that we know we don't have all the answers. If we did then we wouldn't need God...and OF COURSE we all need God.
God wants us to ask questions! We need the questions to keep the pursuit of Him and to keep us longing for more of our mysterious, but very present God.

And sometimes, we don't even need the answer. Like, we just need to get SOMETHING out there in the open and be vulnerable.
I have found that some of my most vulnerable and intimate moments with God are when I am asking Him questions, even some out of anger. Asking things like "Why are you doing this God? Can you show me a sign? Where are you?"
Of course we need to trust God (which can be HARD, I know), but sometimes it's hard to trust without questions...does that make sense?
Like, we can ask God a question and He will reveal the answer...which BUILDS trust.

So, NEVER hold back from asking a question...from trying to understand God a little better or from pursuing Him.

Peace
Liz

"Questions produce learning." -Freddy Williams
(You got another quote, Freds!)