God can handle your questions.
The theme of this week is brutal honesty with God, and we’re taking inspiration from seven Bible characters.
There’s one person in the Bible who absolutely tops the ranks when it comes to rawness and honesty in his communication with God. He’s also known as “the weeping prophet,” and, apart from the Bible book named after him, he wrote another book entirely dedicated to lament.
Have you figured it out yet? I’m of course talking about the prophet Jeremiah!
At one point, Jeremiah cries out that he feels deceived by God because God had called him to a prophetic ministry that resulted in immense suffering, ridicule, and persecution. He exclaims:
You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; You overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. – Jeremiah 20:7 NIV
Jeremiah also doesn’t shy away from asking God difficult questions:
You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before You. Yet I would speak with you about Your justice: why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? – Jeremiah 12:1
Jeremiah’s sentiment in these passages resonates deeply with me. When our son, Zac, fell sick, these were the kind of questions that arose in my heart. “How come evil people have healthy children, but we are in full-time ministry, and You allowed our son to fall sick?”
The point of asking God these questions is not to demand an answer. On this side of heaven, we might never fully understand all those dilemmas, but we simply trust that He knows, and that’s enough.
What are the biggest, boldest questions that keep coming back? Be like Jeremiah and bring them before God today. He can handle them.
