Questioning God

Have you ever had an “Are you serious, God?” moment? More specifically, have you ever felt God calling you to do something, when a million questions popped into your head about the logistics and repercussions that could come about for doing what He asked? As much as I’d like to believe I have always wholly trusted God in the things He has called me to, I know that has not always been the case. Often times, I have found myself thinking, “Really God? You want me to do that?” The good news is, the Bible is full of many great followers of God who also had to learn how to trust in Him.

This past Sunday, we focused on the story of Moses. In Exodus 3:10, God gives Moses the responsibility of leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Considering the sheer gravity of the task God had given, in addition to  the fact that Moses was already in late adulthood and lacked the ability to speak eloquently, it’s not surprising that he had a few questions to ask God first. While Moses certainly had faith, he still had more to learn about trusting God. Likewise, we may also learn from Moses’ example.

In this passage of scripture, Moses asks what seem to be very logical questions: 1. What makes him relevant to fulfilling this call (Exodus 3:11), 2. How does he know it was really the one and true God speaking to him (Exodus 3:13), 3. How will he prove to the Israelites that God gave him this call (Exodus 4:1), and 4. How will he possibly take on this extremely big task (Exodus 4:10)? I love that Moses asks these questions because it gives me hope in times when I have doubts about God’s call on my life.

Moreover, I love God’s response to Moses’ questions. He doesn’t just give Moses a call, then leave him hanging. Rather, God responds to Moses with the reassurance and confirmation he needed to move forward. He tells Moses that He will walk alongside him (Exodus 3:12) and equip him with all of the skills and abilities he needs (Exodus 4:11). Furthermore, God gives clear signs that not only confirm His power to Moses, but may also prove His hand in Moses’ mission to the Israelites (Exodus 4:2-5).

This story only marks the beginning of Moses’ journey of learning to trust God. Throughout Exodus, there are many more instances that he has to trust God for the impossible, as opposed to trying to understand the “logical.”

In the same sense, you and I may learn from this story that sometimes, it’s okay to ask God questions! Verifying that God, and not someone else, is the one speaking is a healthy practice that may allow us to better understand His character.

Beyond the questions, however, we may learn from Moses’ example that sometimes, we must trust God without being given all the details. As God’s word in this passage proves, He promises to walk with us and equip us to fulfill His purpose. Likewise, when we are genuinely given a call from the Lord, whether it be something simple or huge, He will not fail us. He will guide us and prepare us to fulfill His purpose. However, we must be willing to let go and trust in Him.

So, the next time you are having an “Are you serious, God?” moment, I challenge you to set aside your human understanding. While it is certainly no simple task, when we surrender our trust to God, He can use us to do incredible things. 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Edited by: Jenelle Kelly