Honest Questions
“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Psalm 77:7–9
One night after the accident that broke my neck, when things were as dark as they could be, when all hope seemed lost, I stared at the hospital ceiling from my bed and prayed, “God, if I can’t die, please show me how to live.” The prayer was short and to the point, but it left the door open for God to respond. Slowly, like someone coming up out of a coma, I felt something stir in my heart. It was a magnetic pull toward hope.
If you or someone you know are struggling against hopelessness today, if everything seems dark, follow the example of today’s Scripture and pour out your heart to God. Ask Him anything, even the hard questions. Then leave room for Him to respond. The irony of questioning God is that it honors Him. Honest questions turn our hearts away from despair and toward the Lord.
Father, I don’t understand why You do things the way You do, but I promise to bring my questions and heart-cries directly to You. Don’t let me talk about You behind Your back or complain about You before others. Your Word tells us “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). I count on that truth today.
Desperate for Hope: Questions We Ask God in Suffering
Vaneetha Risner joins the podcast again to talk about finding true hope in suffering. With a story that includes childhood bullying, losing an infant son, developing post-polio syndrome, and going through an unwanted divorce, Vaneetha has wrestled with God. But through her hardships, God has met Vaneetha in an unmistakable way and she has learned to trust him.
