Is It Wrong To Question God?

We often hear it said that a Christian must never question God. Just as a child's unswerving trust honors his father, so too we exalt our Heavenly Father by constantly affirming His wisdom and goodness. But this does not mean that we are denying our faith when we question, and even cry out at times, "Why, God? How can this be?" Doubt is wrong only when it springs from unbelief. This raises an important distinction: honest questioning is vastly different from distrusting God. He welcomes the former but disapproves of the latter.

These two responses can be seen in Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, and in Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Gabriel told Zacharias that his wife, who was well along in years, would bear a son, he questioned, "How shall I know this?" Had he thought of Abraham and Sarah, he might have responded in faith, but he didn't (see Luke 1:20). Mary also received incredible news from the angel. A child conceived without a human father? Why, there was no parallel in human history! No wonder she questioned; yet she gave no hint of doubting the Almighty. Gabriel's reply was not censure but reassurance.

Christian, are you sometimes perplexed and filled with doubt? Don't be afraid to tell God that while you trust Him you find some things hard to understand. He may not give you the answer, but He'll never scold you for asking. And you may find that just knowing He loves you, and that He has the answer, is all the answer you need.