In high school, I was on the tennis team. Shortly into my first season, the coach gave me a question limit: I was only allowed to ask five questions each practice. After just a few weeks of answering what probably felt like an endless stream of questions everyday about the sport of tennis, our match schedule and how the scoring system works, I’m sure he was almost at his wit’s end.
For those who know me, this is not surprising. I have always been full of questions. Even from a young age, I was intensely curious: Where does the sun go at night? Why do people speak different languages? How do horses talk to each other? As I grew and matured, so did the nature of my questions.
When I started to think more critically about my faith, I began peppering my parents, my pastor, my Sunday School teachers and my youth group leaders with complex questions about God, the Bible and theology. They patiently answered me the best they knew how, but I was never quite satisfied with their answers.
CALLED TO A BLIND FAITH?
Somewhere along the way, I started taking my questions directly to God. I asked Him which way of baptism and communion was correct, how He could send a flood on the earth to wipe out most of humanity and if creation and evolution fit together. I asked hard questions and hoped He would give me the answers for which I was searching. I came to Him boldly, but humbly, and I learned that God wants dialogue with us.
I have been berated by a lot of Christians for bringing my questions to God. I have heard a lot of well-meaning people say we should just trust God and not worry about the questions that plague us day after day. But I don’t think God calls us to a blind faith. I believe He welcomes our questions and wants to work through them with us. I have found that God enjoys journeying with us.
I don’t think God is angry when we ask questions. In fact, I believe He invites us to ask Him questions.
Here’s why:
Bailey Welch-Pomerantz 