Who Are We To Question God?

When we find ourselves in less than desirable circumstances it is easy to question God. We question if He cares. We question if He has abandoned us or forgotten us. We question if He is aware of our troubles. We even question His silence and lack of bringing the long sought after relief.

Of course He cares. Did He not demonstrate that on Calvary forever? Romans 5:8 (NASB) 
⁸  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We can also question God's faithfulness and yet this again has been settled forever. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NASB) 
²⁴  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 

In Job's sufferings he initially worshipped. In time he questioned God. God responded in strong fashion. Job 38:1-3 (NASB) 

¹  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
²  "Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
³  "Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

Have we not been guilty of the same things from time to time? Have we spoken words or offered counsel without knowledge? Have we ever thought we could instruct God? What follows in the book of Job [Job 38-41] is God asking a series of questions to reveal Job's limited knowledge.

Eventually truth set in. Job humbly replied, Job 42:1-6 (NASB) 

¹  Then Job answered the LORD and said,
²  "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
³  'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' "Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
⁴  'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.'
⁵  "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You;
⁶  Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes."

Perhaps we all need a reminder of who are we to question an Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent God? Who are we to doubt Him? Who are we to try and declare things which we do not understand? Repentance is in order if we find ourselves in any of these places. 

No plan or purpose of God can be thwarted. The trouble is we do not often know the plan or the purpose of God for our lives. We want what we want. What we want is to reap the fruit of prayers and labors,, avoid pain, skip the trials, and bask in the blessings. God wants to mature us, to make us more like Jesus, and skillfully shape us with the scalpel of suffering. He knows what He is doing. 

Today what do you choose? Trust or skepticism? We can trust God and His faithful work in us or we can rebel and question not only what He is doing or not doing but, also question the motives behind His actions. 

He loves us. That is forever settled. Like a parent offering counsel and direction for a child for the child's on well being, so God does in the lives of His own. Job did not see that God would use him as an example of faith and perseverance to hundreds of millions through the centuries. Job did not know his story would forever be persevered in the sacred scriptures. Job did not know how many people would draw strength from reading about his experiences. Job certainly did not know in the end his suffering was minuscule compared to the 140 years he lived afterward. AllJob could feel was pain, confusion,  and loss. Job did not understand and he dealt with the foolish counsel of those who through they spoke for God. 

You can't see the outcome of your situation yet. Don't judge God prematurely. You have waited this long; wait a little longer. You have trusted Him in previous trials; trust Him in these present ones too. You persevered through the pains of life up to this point; so there is no reason to stop now. One blessed day God will shed light on what He has been doing all along. 

Who are we to question God? Who are we to offer instruction to God as if we know better than He? No, my brothers and sisters, let us not be quick to speak of things we do not understand. Let us patiently press on trusting God. He knows what He is doing.