Have you ever faced a question that challenged your faith? Have you ever been faced with a circumstance that was so horrific, you didn’t know where it fit into your Christian world? If you haven’t…you will. We live in a fallen world full of pain, disease, and depravity. If we don’t ask the questions, someone else will ask them of us.
We can deal with these questions of faith – or even crises of faith – in three ways: 1. Shrug it off too fearful it would challenge our faith and leave us hopeless 2. Deny God’s existence because of the world’s depravity or 3. Ask God the questions and go to His Word for His response. So what are these “hard” questions? Here’s a few that are bound to come up:
- Why does God allow pain and affliction?
- Is God really good and does He really care?
- Is God even real?
I’ve faced some of these hard questions myself recently while reading a book called Half the Sky, a book about the horrific oppression women face worldwide. Specifically, why does He allow this pain and affliction? I’ve also had these questions asked of me from a woman whose friend was just diagnosed with cancer. How are we to respond?
When I need to know the truth, I go to the Truth. When I need peace from the storm that rains havoc in my life, I go to Him who is Peace. When I struggle with the character of God or doubt His sovereign wisdom, I go to the testimonies of people who had all reason to struggle and doubt, and yet who personally found Him to be faithful and sovereign.
Asking Him the questions allows our faith to grow. We become confident in His Truth and in His perfect character as His Word validates that He is a good and righteous God. When you face these life-altering, faith-challenging questions or situations, ask God and then go to His Word for His response. Seek out the Truth and be in continual prayer. He speaks through His Word to bring light to the darkest of situations, to give wisdom to those who ask, to bring peace and increase faith.
“He is the Rock, His works are perfect, for all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He”. –Deuteronomy 32:4
“But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” –Psalm 73:28
A Flame in the Dark 