The Best Question
Being a parent of two very inquisitive children, I am bombarded with questions: “Daddy who was Bubba Fett’s dad and which Star Wars was he in?” “Daddy can I have more cookies?” The list can go on and on. When it comes to our spirituality, we tend to ask questions, rather than take action. Here are three common questions that I find myself asking:
Why? The “why” question goes something like this: “Why is this happening to me?” “Why do I feel this way?” Typically “why” questions are great. Einstein would have never given us the theory of relativity if he hadn’t asked why. Many of us, however, don’t get past “why.” “Why” is a going starting point, don’t let it become a sticking point.
How? The “how” goes something like this: “How am I going to pay these bills?”"How am I ever going to live a life pleasing to God?” How questions are great, when you’re trying to develop a strategy or build a skyscraper, but if we get stuck on “How” – we’ll miss the opportunity to “Trust.” Moses asked “How” – and God said simply – “trust me, I am God.”
What? The what question is my favorite question – because it ultimately leads to action. Questions like “What do you want me to do in this situation?” “What do I need to correct?” “What is preventing me from accomplishing a specific goal?” When I read the book of Acts, I don’t find this early church asking “Why did our leader die?” or “How will we ever go on without Him?” – they asked – “What next?” And the Bible says they turned the world upside down.
Asking Why and How isn’t wrong, but we have to find our way to What!