questions for God | Grief Bites

I’ve been a Grief Consultant for over 17 years. During this time, I’ve had grievers ask me an important question:

“Is it ok to question God?”

Sometimes, they’ll rephrase this and say, “As soon as I get to heaven, I’m going to ask God (and then they’ll fill in the blank of all they’ll question Him about.”

Grief is excruciating. When you go through a terrible tragedy, it’s completely normal and natural to want answers. The heart pleads for answers…you’ll desperately want to know why something so terrible happened.

If you have ever been through a devastating grief experience, you most likely have pleaded with God in your heart for answers,

If you have ever brought your questions to God after a heartbreaking death or tragedy, you’re in good company.

Both Jesus & David cried out to God and brought their heart wrenching questions to Him as a way of seeking to understand their situation and pain (Matt 27:46, Psalm 42:9, Psalm 22:1-2).

God doesn’t turn against someone, or count it against them, if they question why a tragedy happened. To feel what you need to feel, to seek God for answers, & to work out your grief through questions are ALL healthy ways of grieving & processing pain.
It opens the door to having open, transparent, & HONEST conversations with God.

God doesn’t want people to feel trapped in grief or heartache…He welcomes authentic, transparent conversation when someone is experiencing emotional pain.

We’re not to argue with God (Isaiah 45:9)…but we can go to Him with the deepest questions in our heart.

Seek His heart if you are struggling…that is the beginning of true, heartfelt intimacy with God.

Think about this quote this week. It’s solid information to align our hearts with God:

“It’s ok to ask God questions. It’s not ok to question God. Asking questions seeks understanding and deeper faith, which God welcomes. Questioning God, however, is a challenge to His authority or character—it implies that you know better than the Creator.” ~ Tony Evans

Grief is tough.

Bringing our questions to God is vital.

We may or may not receive the answers we’re seeking, but I can tell you after walking through over 80 major personal grief experiences:

When it feels like I can’t trust God’s plans, I choose to trust God’s heart….and He has carried me through excruciating grief, and has tenderly walked with me and helped me through my despair and questions.

Seek God’s heart this week. Bring your questions to Him. Pour your heart out to God and bring Him all your pain, worries, fear, struggles, and concerns. God loves you so much and will help you everyday — especially through your worst days.

Have a blessed & peaceful week,
Kim

http://www.griefbites.com

http://www.griefbites.org

For more on this topic:

Have Questions for God?

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⭐️For more encouragement:

❤️Making peace with God: http://www.peacewithgod.net

❤️Getting Your Breath Back After Life Knocks It Out of You (Kim’s book): https://www.christianbook.com/getting-knocks-transparent-journey-seeking-through/k-b-h-niles/

❤️Connect on Facebook by “liking” page: https://www.facebook.com/GettingYourBreathBackAfterGrief

❤️Kim’s blog: https://www.griefbites.com

❤️FREE YouVersion reading plans:

1. Grief Bites: Finding Treasure In Hardships: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/912-grief-bites-finding-treasure-in-hardships

2. Grief Bites: Doubt Revealed: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/954-grief-bites-doubt-revealed

3. Grief Bites: A New Approach To Growing Through Grief https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/862-grief-bites

4. Grief Bites: Hope For The Holidays: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1964-grief-bites-hope-for-the-holidays

5. Experiencing Holidays With Jesus: Christmas: http://bible.com/r/3V5

6. Experiencing Holidays With Jesus: Happy New Year!: http://bible.com/r/3Zv

7. Valentine’s Day: Experiencing Holidays With Jesus: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/14059-valentines-day-experiencing-holidays-with-jesus

8. Lord, How Am I Ever Going to Get Through This?:: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/48271 

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All throughout history, people have struggled with the question, “Why did God allow this to happen?” – and accuse God of abandoning them.

Gideon was no different.

Judges‬ ‭6:12-13‬, “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (and here it goes: Gideon starts questioning what so many have thought or verbalized since the beginning of time)
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.””

Gideon was in the middle of a crisis and his hope and trust were thin. Can you relate?

Gideon was an unlikely hero and conquerer – the odds were significantly stacked against the poor guy – yet God greatly used him in a huge, powerful way.
But first, God needed to work in Gideon’s heart.

In the 6th chapter of Judges, we find God revealed to Gideon some key things that needed to happen before He granted deliverance:

A removal of a false God – what do we need to remove from our lives so that God can powerfully work? What “god(s)” are we choosing over the one true God?
Sacrifice – God doesn’t NEED our sacrifices (Hosea 6:6 – another great book!) but He does desire a heart that is sold out to Him and Him alone. God wants us to give Him this: rightful first place in our hearts and lives. Loyalty. Love. Commitment.
God desires for us to trust Him – we need to remove our doubts, our fears, and overcome our questions so we can have – and intimately experience – a dynamic encounter with Him.
Obedience – whether it makes sense to us or not.

Notice as you read Judges 6 that God was patient with Gideon. When Gideon lacked hope or faith, or even had questions, God lovingly provided grace and evidence of His love and guidance.

God will do the same for us, too!

The most difficult times of my life have led to some of my greatest times with God. Difficult times are never easy – they’re painfully excruciating – but God has always carried me through these tough times. Faithfully.

When life throws BIG problems at you…these are often allowed so we will stop depending on ourselves and depend on God.
God-sized problems always open up the opportunity for God to provide God-sized love and answers.
‭
Today, read Judges.

God will never abandon us. Ever.

Whatever “battle” we are going through in life, God has the power to bring total victory – no matter what the odds appear to be.

I challenge all of us to:

seek God’s face
remove the things/“gods”/sin in our heart that prevent us from truly putting God first
be fully devoted to God
Love and obey Him with all of our heart
ask God to remove our doubts, fears, and worries as we cast all of our cares upon Him
and ask to experience a dynamic encounter with Him

When we are tempted to question God’s Will, may we always remember this:
God’s perfect Will is exactly what we all would want if we knew ALL the facts. His ways are good and perfect – even if they don’t seem to be perfect and don’t feel good to us. He sees the big picture – start to finish.

Choosing to obey and trust God in difficult circumstances is a beautiful act of faith. And we need God’s continual love, help, and strength to accomplish this.

Let’s choose to love, obey, and trust God – and entrust Him with all the facts as we submit to Him today.
He loves you!💗

Hope all of you are safe and well,
Kim