Perhaps it is simply part of our inquisitive nature. Or it may be a symbol of our struggle to fully rely on God. No matter the reason, most would agree: we ask God a lot of questions.
Some questions are useful explorations into our faith and future; others are cries of desperation and confusion. While God and Jesus Christ cares about our questions, it is interesting to study the scriptures and find Christ asked questions himself. In fact, he asked many inspired questions to his disciples as a way of teaching, guiding, and comforting. The same is true today! God wants to use inspired questions to lead us to truth and happiness. Are we able to recognize when God is trying to ask us a question rather than answer them?
We searched the scriptures and other inspired sources for questions God has used to help his children. These are just a few he may want you to ponder.
Do I give bread or stones?
During sermons in both the Old World and the New World, Christ asks if a man would give his son a stone if he asked for bread, or a serpent if he asked for fish. Of course, he wouldn’t. He used it to illustrate God’s mercy. If we then, in our fallen state, know how to give good gifts to our children, “how much more shall your Father who is heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
In our lives, when prayers seem to go unanswered or when bad things happen, we may feel like God is giving us a stone. We know we have to go through trials and often have to endure the consequences of someone else’s choices. We may get something completely different from what we wanted or expected. The question remains. Does God give bread or stones?
With this question, God can help us see compensatory blessings, put our lives into perspective, and give us hope.
Whom say ye that I am?
When others questioned Christ’s divinity and role as our Savior, he would turn to his disciples and ask “Whom say ye that I am?” He wanted to know what they understood about his mission and purpose in life.
Some of the greatest moments of confusion we experience in life come when we forget the true nature of Jesus Christ and the power of the Atonement. This question helps us determine what we truly believe about Christ’s ability to both save and exalt us. It also helps us gauge what our relationship with Christ is.
Who is Christ to you? Your Savior? Your brother? Your best friend? Jesus Christ said knowing the only true God is life eternal. We don’t just want to know about them, we want to know them personally.
Will ye also go away?
Some of Christ’s disciples found it too difficult to follow him. The scriptures say they “walked no more with him.” When many of these had gone, Christ turned to the Twelve and asked, “Will ye also go away?”
We will all have our faith tested. Our questions may turn into doubts. The Lord may ask us to do and accept things we don’t fully understand or agree with. No matter what we face, we have our agency. Some of our trials may even be designed to test our resolve and loyalty. What will we choose? The greatest choice of our life is if we will stand by God or if we will leave him.
We have the promise from God that if we desire to be with him, he has prepared a way for that to be eternally possible.
What shall I do for you?
One day, when Christ was approaching the city of Jericho, a crowd gathered. A blind man heard the commotion and asked what was going on. When he learned Christ was near, he began to cry out for Christ to heal him. Many rebuked him, but he “cried so much more” and Christ commanded the man be brought to him.
“What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?” Christ asked. Essentially, he wanted to know what the man wanted from him. The blind man asked for his sight and Christ healed him. Immediately, he received his sight and went and glorified God.
Sometimes, we live below our privileges. We struggle to dream or hope. As we grow in faith, we need to come boldly before God with confidence in his promises and our future. We may not always get what we want, but it is important to express our desires to the Lord.
Learning to hear the questions of God is an important aspect of understanding how the Holy Ghost works. As we strive to develop this gift, we may find more answers than we realize in God’s questions.
