Is it okay for Christians to question God? Asking questions is often cited as a sign of intelligence. We see several examples in the Bible that seem to suggest it is. Should we place God (and leaders) beyond the scope of our challenge?
Reasons why not to question
The usual answers generally reach for Romans 9:19-23 and a translation that literally says “who are you to question God?” Never mind that the passage is literally about resisting God while he is shaping you. Never mind that Isaiah 1:18 has God inviting you to debate with him, this verse bans questions and that is that.
But it is not “that”. Rather than being about questioning God, Romans 9 is about refusing to change. Not only refusing but objecting to it.
The disciples asked questions pretty much non-stop. Jesus engaged with them and turned those questions into teachable moments. He was a good teacher and if the rest of the Bible is anything to go by, they turned out to be pretty decent students.
A good student will be changed by a good teacher. A good student will ask endless questions. If that is the case, in order to be decipels of Christ, surely we must ask God questions?
Besides, the Bible has many examples of questioning God that we can look at.
Examples of people questioning God
When I started listing out examples, I found I had too many to list here. I am certain you can think of examples of people questioning God that I have not mentioned. Feel free to post them in the comments section.
Habakkuk
How long, Lord, must I cry for help?
Habakkuk 1:2-4
But you do not listen!
I call out to you, “Violence!”
But you do not intervene!
Why do you force me to witness injustice?
Why do you put up with wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence confront me;
conflict is present and one must endure strife.
For thisreason the law lacks power,
and justice is never carried out.
Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent.
For thisreason justice is perverted.
Habakkuk opens with a laundry list of questions. Why is there suffering? Why is there injustice? Why do the wicked prosper at the expense of the just?
Habakkuk has some good questions going on. Important questions. Questions that scream out for answers. I leave it to you to go find out where that all leads.
Job
The middle part of Job has Job asking “where is God when I needed Him?” and asking why God has abandoned him.
Job gets some difficult to process answers but he does get answers. Answers that come directly from God.
Jonah
Most of the story of Jonah consists of Jonah refusing, debating, questioning, and getting quite cross. His mission – to deliver a message – is dwarfed in comparison to the back and forth he has with God. So much of that debate is Jonah running away from or objecting to what he is told.
Of course, running away does not work out too well for Jonah. Running away God is highly unlikely to work out well for anyone. The point is, though, he engaged God in a very long winded (and largely futile) debate.
Jesus
In the narration of the Garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus asking one very important question. That is, the question of is there any other way?
This, it might be said, may be an ideal model for humbly asking questions.
Questioning God
Even from these few examples (please do add more in the comments) it is clear that there is are different ways to question God – some far wiser than others.
Proverbs 4 pretty much instructs us to get wisdom at any cost. One way to get wisdom is to ask the right questions. As the source of all knowledge and wisdom, it would make sense to direct the hardest of the questions to God himself.
I would conclude that, yes, it is okay to question God but do so wisely and with humility.
The Tumblr debate
This topic was inspired by a debate we have been having on Tumblr. Which started when I proposed this exact question.
Speaking of questions
Many of my more recent posts have been on the subject of asking questions. This one was no different.