April 15, 2025 • 17 mins
In this episode of Ask the God Pod, we’re diving headfirst into a question so many of us carry but are often afraid to ask: Is it okay to question God? Maybe you’ve been told that doubt is dangerous or that wrestling with God is a sign of weak faith. But what if asking hard questions is actually part of growing a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him? Leanne opens up about her own struggles with faith, doubt, and getting real with God, and explores how the Bible is full of people—like David, Job, and even Jesus—who brought their raw, unfiltered questions to God. If you’ve ever felt guilty for questioning or wondered if you’re “doing faith wrong,” this episode will help you reframe doubt as an invitation to deeper connection—not distance.
HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington
To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.
Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith needs
fars nature and get in touch with your creator with
a baking love and jew She even speaks Hebrew. What's that? Gonza?
(00:31):
What's that? Well? Sabosation? You should talking transformation? What's that? Dont? Hey? Hey?
And welcome back to What's God got to do with it?
And I'm so glad to be here with you today
because we are diving into a topic that I think
(00:52):
resonates with so many of us. And it's a question
that got sent in for Ask the God pod. Is
it okay to question God? Now? I don't know about you,
but I've definitely had moments in my life where I
have looked up at this guy and thought, God, what
is going on? Like why is this happening? And then
almost immediately I'd feel this pang of guil, wondering if
(01:13):
even asking that question was somehow wrong or showed a
lack of faith. And so maybe you felt that too.
Maybe you've been through situations that left you confused or
hurt or even angry and you found yourself questioning God's plan,
his presence, or even his goodness. And then perhaps you've wondered,
just like me, if those questions made you a you know,
bad Christian, or if you were somehow disappointing God by
(01:36):
not just blindly trusting him. Well, today I want us
to unpack this together. So we're going to talk about
what it means to question God, whether it's okay to
do so, and how our questions can actually lead us
into a deeper, more authentic relationship with him. So, first off,
let's acknowledge something really important. Okay, life is hard, right,
(01:59):
and we've fail challenges and losses and situations that don't
always make sense. And in those moments, it's natural to
have questions, and it's really just part of being human.
And so think about it. When something happens that we
don't understand, our brains are wired to seek answers. It's
how we make sense of the world that's going on
(02:20):
around us. And so when we're faced with pain or
injustice or uncertainty, it's completely normal to wonder and ask God, like,
where are you in this? Or why would you allow
this to happen? But here's where it gets tricky. All right,
many of us have been taught, either directly or indirectly,
that questioning God is a sign of weak faith, and
(02:44):
that if we truly trusted Him, we wouldn't have doubts
or questions. And so we stuff those questions down, We
put on a brave face, and we try to move
forward without addressing the very real turmoil that's happening within
us and inside of us. But you know, what if
I told you, and I'm not saying that I'm the
expert here of just inviting you to ponder this, what
(03:06):
if questioning God isn't a sign of weak faith, but
rather a component of a deep and authentic relationship with him.
So let's look at some examples from scripture. So take
Job for instance. Here's a man who lost everything, his family,
his wealth, his health, and in his anguish, he didn't
(03:27):
hold back his questions, right, he cried out to God
asking why he was suffering so greatly and why God
would allow that? Like, he expressed his confusion and his
pain very openly. And then there's David, the man after
God's own heart, right, and the psalms are filled with
his raw and honest questions, and so in Psalm thirteen
(03:48):
he writes, how long Lord will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me? David
wasn't afraid to bring his doubts and fears before God.
He went straight to source. And then, of course, let's
not forget Jesus himself. On the cross, he cried out,
my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In
(04:09):
his deepest moments of suffering, he also questioned. And so
these examples just show us that questioning God is not
only is not only okay, but it's also just a
natural part of a relationship with him. It's an expression
of our desire to understand and to connect and to
seek his presence even when things don't make sense. Now,
(04:33):
it's important to distinguish between questioning God and challenging him.
And so questioning comes from a place of seeking understanding,
and it's saying, you know, God, I don't get this,
but I want to get this, I want to understand now. Challenging,
on the other hand, that can come from a place
of defiance or distrust, and it can be like saying, God,
(04:55):
I don't believe that you're right about this. Uh, doctor
Tony Evans put this way. He said, you can ask
God a question, but you should not question God. So interesting, right,
such a small distinction. You can ask God a question,
but you should not question God. He's beyond our understanding.
He will allow questions, but he will not allow a
(05:15):
challenge to his authority. And I thought that was a
super interesting distinction. And I really appreciate that opinion, because
what that says to me is that when we approach
God with our questions, it's about our posture. Are we
coming to him with a heart that seeks to understand
and trust even when it's really hard to do that,
(05:36):
or are we coming with a heart that is hardened
and unwilling to accept his sovereignty. And so, one of
the beautiful things about God is that he is patient,
and he's compassionate, and he knows our hearts and he
understands our struggles. And so when we come to him
with our questions, he doesn't turn us away or chastise
(05:57):
us for doubting. Instead, he to draw closer. In Isaiah
one point eighteen, God says, come, now, let us reason together.
And to me, this just shows me that He's inviting
us into a dialogue and a relationship where we can
bring our whole selves and that includes questions, doubts, all
of it. And so while he might not always give
(06:19):
us the answers that we're looking for, he promises his
presence and sometimes the answer to our questions isn't a solution,
but a deeper sense of his nearness and how we
can simply learn to draw near to him and receive.
And so here's something else to consider, like what if
our questions can actually lead us to growth? What if
(06:40):
questions are great? Right? Because when we wrestle with our
faith and when we dig deep to understand who God
is and how he works, we are strengthening our spiritual muscles.
And just think about Jacob, who literally wrestled with God
and he came out of that encounter with a limp, yeah,
but also with a new name and a deeper understanding
of who he wants in relation to God. And so
(07:02):
I truly believe that our questions can do the same
for us, and they can lead us to a more
you know, resilient and robust faith, one that's not shaken
very easily because it's been tested and refined. Like the
testing and the refining is is what strengthens in So
what can we do when we find ourselves in a
place of questioning or wanting to question God? The first
(07:32):
thing is just to be honest in prayer. So this
might sound overly simplified, but for so many of us
it's one of the hardest things to do, not because
we don't want to be honest with God, but because
we're probably afraid of what it might mean if we
admit how we really feel. And I know for a
lot of us there's this part of us that thinks
that we need to clean up our emotions or make
(07:53):
our questions sound, you know, spiritual enough before bringing them
to Him. But here's the truth. God already knows your
heart like he already knows your thoughts, and He's not
shocked or offended by your doubts or your fears or
your frustrations. And one of the most beautiful things I
learned on my journey, or that I am learning on
my journey with God, is that God doesn't just tolerate
(08:14):
our honesty, He actually invites it. Right And look at
how David praise in the Psalms. He cries out, he questions,
he grieves, and God still calls him a man after
his own heart. And so you don't need perfect words
to talk to God. You just need a willing heart.
And so if it helps, you know, write your prayers
out in a journal and get all the messy, unfiltered
(08:36):
thoughts down, kind of like a brain dump like that.
Honesty is the gateway to intimacy. The next thing is
to seek wise counsel. So there's a reason Scripture says
there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. It says
that in Proverbs eleven fourteen. And so when we're struggling
to hear God's voice or make sense of what we're
(08:57):
feeling having really why is faith filled people around us
and in our corner can make all the difference. But
let me just say this fair warning, choose carefully. Okay.
Not everyone will be equipped to walk with you through
deep spiritual questions. And so look for somebody who doesn't
just have Bible knowledge, but who carries compassion and discernment
(09:20):
to right, someone who's not going to just throw platitudes
at you, but who will actually sit with you and
pray with you and walk with you through the wrestling
that's taking place. Okay, and sometimes wise counsel looks like
reaching out to a therapist or a pastor, or a
spiritual director or a coach or somebody that you just
a wise person in your Bible study or whatever, but
(09:40):
somebody who's trained to help you hold up a mirror
to your thoughts and your feelings, because we have thoughts
and we have feelings, right, but to help you look
through the lens of both psychology and faith. And you
don't have to navigate this alone. And in fact, you're
not meant to right. And God often speaks through others
times to confirm something he's already put on your heart,
(10:02):
and sometimes it's to challenge a lie that you've been
believing that you might not be able to recognize on
your own. The next thing is to dive into scripture,
and so this is such a powerful step not just
to find answers, but to remember who God is. And
when we're in a place of doubt or spiritual confusion,
our thoughts can become really noisy, and unless we're anchoring
(10:27):
ourselves in truth, we start making decisions or forming beliefs
based on our emotions, our past pain, or even cultural
messages that we're that we're getting right, Like, if you're
on Instagram long enough, you're gonna get some cultural messages right.
Scripture is the foundation that helps you discern God's character.
It's the place where his voice becomes clearer. And the
(10:49):
more you know his word, the more you recognize when
something isn't him. And so if something you're sensing contradicts
his nature or his promises, you can know for sure
it's not from him. And so if you don't know
where to start, don't overthink it. The Psalms. I've mentioned
the Psalms a few times already today. The Psalms are
(11:09):
a beautiful place to begin, especially when you're in a
season of questioning. And so Roman's aid is also full
of reminders of God's love and faithfulness. The Gospels let
you see Jesus in action, and since Jesus is the
exact representation of God's nature, as it says in Hebrews
one three, it helps you know what God is really like. Okay,
(11:31):
so between Romans and the Gospels and Psalms, anything works.
But don't be afraid to sit with the same scripture
for days or even weeks, because you know, sometimes the
goal isn't just to get through the Bible. It's to
let the Bible get through to you, and repetition can
be your best friend. The next thing is just be
(11:52):
patient in the process. And I know this one is tough,
especially when you want answers like yesterday, and when we're
confused or desperate for clarity. It's natural to want God
to show up quickly and clearly. But God is not
a vending machine like He doesn't always respond the way
that we expect or on our preferred timeline. And that
(12:14):
doesn't mean that he's absent. Sometimes it feels like it is,
but he's not. It just means he's inviting us into
deeper trust. And so Isaiah forty thirty one says those
who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. That
word weight doesn't just mean sitting around twiddling your thumbs either, right,
It was actually I was actually researching this scripture and
(12:37):
in the original Hebrew it implies expectation and hope. So
when he says weight, it implies expectation and hope, and
it's a posture of faith. And often the waiting is
where the transformation happens, and it's where your trust muscle
gets stronger, and it's where you learn to listen more
deeply and notice how God might be speaking in ways
(12:58):
that you didn't even expect. Maybe it's through a quiet
nudge or a conversation, a song, or even your own tears.
And so if you're in a season where you feel
like you're getting silence from God, don't assume that he's
not speaking. Just stay open and stay expectant. He has
not forgotten you. He's just working on something deeper than
(13:19):
you can see right now. And the last thing is
to think back and reflect on God's faithfulness. Okay, so
when you're full of doubt or questioning, one of the
most powerful things you can do is look backward on purpose.
I don't mean go psychoanalyze your past, not dwell on it,
but to remember right just to really reflect and remember,
reflect on the times that God came through for you
(13:41):
and he guided you and protected you even when you
didn't see it clearly at the time. And so the
Israelites in the Old Testament, they would actually build altars
to commemorate the places where God moved in their lives.
And so why did they do that? Well, our human
brains are forgetful, especially when fear and doubt are creeping
in like it does so much, and so take some
time to journal about the ways that God has shown
(14:04):
up for you before, like the big things, the small things,
you know, answers to prayers. I mean, I know when
I look at things, I'm like, wow, I'm living in
prayers answered. And if I don't remember that, I forget
and I'm thinking about what hasn't been fulfilled. Right. You know,
you can find where you where He gave you peace
and chaos even you know, maybe lessons that you learned
through the pain, and those moments are your alters or
(14:27):
references and reminders that He is faithful even when you
don't understand what He's doing right now, which is it's challenging, right,
It's like, come on, God, show me, like what's inside
your head? What am I not seeing? Right? But when
that doubt creeps back in, because it will, you can
come back to that list and say, Okay, he was
faithful then and he will be faithful now. And so together,
(14:49):
you know, these five steps aren't a formula per se.
They're really just an invitation and an invitation to move
toward God even in your questions, because He doesn't need
you to have it all figured out. He just wants
your heart to stay open and your ears to stay attuned,
and your spirit to stay connected. And so listen, if
(15:10):
you're walking through a season of uncertainty right now, I
just want to remind you you're not doing it wrong,
and you're not a bad Christian for wanting to ask
God questions, and you're not broken. You're human and your
questions might just be the beginning of a deeper and
more honest and more powerful relationship with God, the God
who sees you and loves you and is so for you. Okay.
(15:34):
More importantly, God's got you, So you've got this, okay.
And remember, at the end of the day, our journey
with God is just that it is a journey, and
it's gonna be filled with highs and lows and certainties
and doubts and clarity and confusion. It's just that there's
so many distinctions in the growth, right but through it all,
God remains constant. And so if you find yourself questioning,
(15:57):
know that it's okay. It's more than okay. It's actually
just an invitation though, to draw closer, to seek deeper,
and to grow stronger in your faith. And remember God
isn't afraid of your questions. He absolutely welcomes them, and
more than that, he welcomes you just as you are
questions in all. Okay, so thank you so much for
(16:18):
joining me on this episode today. I love walking through
these questions with you, as they truly help me too.
And so we will be back next week from more
of the God Pod. Bye for now, We'll be back
with more What's God Got to Do with It? But
in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear from you,
so just tell me where you are in your story
(16:39):
or maybe what questions you have, like where do you
feel you need clarity or support or wisdom in your
own journey. I definitely want to hear from you, So
head on over to What's God Got to Do with It?
Dot com and scroll down to the form to share
your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you can do
that instantly. So What's God Got to Do It? Dot
(17:00):
Com You'll find all the ways to do that. And
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(17:24):
God Got to Do With It Is an iHeartRadio podcast
on the Amy Brown Podcast Network. It's written and hosted
by me Leanne Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post
production and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written
by Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith needs
fars nature and get in touch with your creator with
a baking love and jew She even speaks Hebrew. What's that? Gonza?
(00:31):
What's that? Well? Sabosation? You should talking transformation? What's that? Dont? Hey? Hey?
And welcome back to What's God got to do with it?
And I'm so glad to be here with you today
because we are diving into a topic that I think
(00:52):
resonates with so many of us. And it's a question
that got sent in for Ask the God pod. Is
it okay to question God? Now? I don't know about you,
but I've definitely had moments in my life where I
have looked up at this guy and thought, God, what
is going on? Like why is this happening? And then
almost immediately I'd feel this pang of guil, wondering if
(01:13):
even asking that question was somehow wrong or showed a
lack of faith. And so maybe you felt that too.
Maybe you've been through situations that left you confused or
hurt or even angry and you found yourself questioning God's plan,
his presence, or even his goodness. And then perhaps you've wondered,
just like me, if those questions made you a you know,
bad Christian, or if you were somehow disappointing God by
(01:36):
not just blindly trusting him. Well, today I want us
to unpack this together. So we're going to talk about
what it means to question God, whether it's okay to
do so, and how our questions can actually lead us
into a deeper, more authentic relationship with him. So, first off,
let's acknowledge something really important. Okay, life is hard, right,
(01:59):
and we've fail challenges and losses and situations that don't
always make sense. And in those moments, it's natural to
have questions, and it's really just part of being human.
And so think about it. When something happens that we
don't understand, our brains are wired to seek answers. It's
how we make sense of the world that's going on
(02:20):
around us. And so when we're faced with pain or
injustice or uncertainty, it's completely normal to wonder and ask God, like,
where are you in this? Or why would you allow
this to happen? But here's where it gets tricky. All right,
many of us have been taught, either directly or indirectly,
that questioning God is a sign of weak faith, and
(02:44):
that if we truly trusted Him, we wouldn't have doubts
or questions. And so we stuff those questions down, We
put on a brave face, and we try to move
forward without addressing the very real turmoil that's happening within
us and inside of us. But you know, what if
I told you, and I'm not saying that I'm the
expert here of just inviting you to ponder this, what
(03:06):
if questioning God isn't a sign of weak faith, but
rather a component of a deep and authentic relationship with him.
So let's look at some examples from scripture. So take
Job for instance. Here's a man who lost everything, his family,
his wealth, his health, and in his anguish, he didn't
(03:27):
hold back his questions, right, he cried out to God
asking why he was suffering so greatly and why God
would allow that? Like, he expressed his confusion and his
pain very openly. And then there's David, the man after
God's own heart, right, and the psalms are filled with
his raw and honest questions, and so in Psalm thirteen
(03:48):
he writes, how long Lord will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me? David
wasn't afraid to bring his doubts and fears before God.
He went straight to source. And then, of course, let's
not forget Jesus himself. On the cross, he cried out,
my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In
(04:09):
his deepest moments of suffering, he also questioned. And so
these examples just show us that questioning God is not
only is not only okay, but it's also just a
natural part of a relationship with him. It's an expression
of our desire to understand and to connect and to
seek his presence even when things don't make sense. Now,
(04:33):
it's important to distinguish between questioning God and challenging him.
And so questioning comes from a place of seeking understanding,
and it's saying, you know, God, I don't get this,
but I want to get this, I want to understand now. Challenging,
on the other hand, that can come from a place
of defiance or distrust, and it can be like saying, God,
(04:55):
I don't believe that you're right about this. Uh, doctor
Tony Evans put this way. He said, you can ask
God a question, but you should not question God. So interesting, right,
such a small distinction. You can ask God a question,
but you should not question God. He's beyond our understanding.
He will allow questions, but he will not allow a
(05:15):
challenge to his authority. And I thought that was a
super interesting distinction. And I really appreciate that opinion, because
what that says to me is that when we approach
God with our questions, it's about our posture. Are we
coming to him with a heart that seeks to understand
and trust even when it's really hard to do that,
(05:36):
or are we coming with a heart that is hardened
and unwilling to accept his sovereignty. And so, one of
the beautiful things about God is that he is patient,
and he's compassionate, and he knows our hearts and he
understands our struggles. And so when we come to him
with our questions, he doesn't turn us away or chastise
(05:57):
us for doubting. Instead, he to draw closer. In Isaiah
one point eighteen, God says, come, now, let us reason together.
And to me, this just shows me that He's inviting
us into a dialogue and a relationship where we can
bring our whole selves and that includes questions, doubts, all
of it. And so while he might not always give
(06:19):
us the answers that we're looking for, he promises his
presence and sometimes the answer to our questions isn't a solution,
but a deeper sense of his nearness and how we
can simply learn to draw near to him and receive.
And so here's something else to consider, like what if
our questions can actually lead us to growth? What if
(06:40):
questions are great? Right? Because when we wrestle with our
faith and when we dig deep to understand who God
is and how he works, we are strengthening our spiritual muscles.
And just think about Jacob, who literally wrestled with God
and he came out of that encounter with a limp, yeah,
but also with a new name and a deeper understanding
of who he wants in relation to God. And so
(07:02):
I truly believe that our questions can do the same
for us, and they can lead us to a more
you know, resilient and robust faith, one that's not shaken
very easily because it's been tested and refined. Like the
testing and the refining is is what strengthens in So
what can we do when we find ourselves in a
place of questioning or wanting to question God? The first
(07:32):
thing is just to be honest in prayer. So this
might sound overly simplified, but for so many of us
it's one of the hardest things to do, not because
we don't want to be honest with God, but because
we're probably afraid of what it might mean if we
admit how we really feel. And I know for a
lot of us there's this part of us that thinks
that we need to clean up our emotions or make
(07:53):
our questions sound, you know, spiritual enough before bringing them
to Him. But here's the truth. God already knows your
heart like he already knows your thoughts, and He's not
shocked or offended by your doubts or your fears or
your frustrations. And one of the most beautiful things I
learned on my journey, or that I am learning on
my journey with God, is that God doesn't just tolerate
(08:14):
our honesty, He actually invites it. Right And look at
how David praise in the Psalms. He cries out, he questions,
he grieves, and God still calls him a man after
his own heart. And so you don't need perfect words
to talk to God. You just need a willing heart.
And so if it helps, you know, write your prayers
out in a journal and get all the messy, unfiltered
(08:36):
thoughts down, kind of like a brain dump like that.
Honesty is the gateway to intimacy. The next thing is
to seek wise counsel. So there's a reason Scripture says
there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors. It says
that in Proverbs eleven fourteen. And so when we're struggling
to hear God's voice or make sense of what we're
(08:57):
feeling having really why is faith filled people around us
and in our corner can make all the difference. But
let me just say this fair warning, choose carefully. Okay.
Not everyone will be equipped to walk with you through
deep spiritual questions. And so look for somebody who doesn't
just have Bible knowledge, but who carries compassion and discernment
(09:20):
to right, someone who's not going to just throw platitudes
at you, but who will actually sit with you and
pray with you and walk with you through the wrestling
that's taking place. Okay, and sometimes wise counsel looks like
reaching out to a therapist or a pastor, or a
spiritual director or a coach or somebody that you just
a wise person in your Bible study or whatever, but
(09:40):
somebody who's trained to help you hold up a mirror
to your thoughts and your feelings, because we have thoughts
and we have feelings, right, but to help you look
through the lens of both psychology and faith. And you
don't have to navigate this alone. And in fact, you're
not meant to right. And God often speaks through others
times to confirm something he's already put on your heart,
(10:02):
and sometimes it's to challenge a lie that you've been
believing that you might not be able to recognize on
your own. The next thing is to dive into scripture,
and so this is such a powerful step not just
to find answers, but to remember who God is. And
when we're in a place of doubt or spiritual confusion,
our thoughts can become really noisy, and unless we're anchoring
(10:27):
ourselves in truth, we start making decisions or forming beliefs
based on our emotions, our past pain, or even cultural
messages that we're that we're getting right, Like, if you're
on Instagram long enough, you're gonna get some cultural messages right.
Scripture is the foundation that helps you discern God's character.
It's the place where his voice becomes clearer. And the
(10:49):
more you know his word, the more you recognize when
something isn't him. And so if something you're sensing contradicts
his nature or his promises, you can know for sure
it's not from him. And so if you don't know
where to start, don't overthink it. The Psalms. I've mentioned
the Psalms a few times already today. The Psalms are
(11:09):
a beautiful place to begin, especially when you're in a
season of questioning. And so Roman's aid is also full
of reminders of God's love and faithfulness. The Gospels let
you see Jesus in action, and since Jesus is the
exact representation of God's nature, as it says in Hebrews
one three, it helps you know what God is really like. Okay,
(11:31):
so between Romans and the Gospels and Psalms, anything works.
But don't be afraid to sit with the same scripture
for days or even weeks, because you know, sometimes the
goal isn't just to get through the Bible. It's to
let the Bible get through to you, and repetition can
be your best friend. The next thing is just be
(11:52):
patient in the process. And I know this one is tough,
especially when you want answers like yesterday, and when we're
confused or desperate for clarity. It's natural to want God
to show up quickly and clearly. But God is not
a vending machine like He doesn't always respond the way
that we expect or on our preferred timeline. And that
(12:14):
doesn't mean that he's absent. Sometimes it feels like it is,
but he's not. It just means he's inviting us into
deeper trust. And so Isaiah forty thirty one says those
who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. That
word weight doesn't just mean sitting around twiddling your thumbs either, right,
It was actually I was actually researching this scripture and
(12:37):
in the original Hebrew it implies expectation and hope. So
when he says weight, it implies expectation and hope, and
it's a posture of faith. And often the waiting is
where the transformation happens, and it's where your trust muscle
gets stronger, and it's where you learn to listen more
deeply and notice how God might be speaking in ways
(12:58):
that you didn't even expect. Maybe it's through a quiet
nudge or a conversation, a song, or even your own tears.
And so if you're in a season where you feel
like you're getting silence from God, don't assume that he's
not speaking. Just stay open and stay expectant. He has
not forgotten you. He's just working on something deeper than
(13:19):
you can see right now. And the last thing is
to think back and reflect on God's faithfulness. Okay, so
when you're full of doubt or questioning, one of the
most powerful things you can do is look backward on purpose.
I don't mean go psychoanalyze your past, not dwell on it,
but to remember right just to really reflect and remember,
reflect on the times that God came through for you
(13:41):
and he guided you and protected you even when you
didn't see it clearly at the time. And so the
Israelites in the Old Testament, they would actually build altars
to commemorate the places where God moved in their lives.
And so why did they do that? Well, our human
brains are forgetful, especially when fear and doubt are creeping
in like it does so much, and so take some
time to journal about the ways that God has shown
(14:04):
up for you before, like the big things, the small things,
you know, answers to prayers. I mean, I know when
I look at things, I'm like, wow, I'm living in
prayers answered. And if I don't remember that, I forget
and I'm thinking about what hasn't been fulfilled. Right. You know,
you can find where you where He gave you peace
and chaos even you know, maybe lessons that you learned
through the pain, and those moments are your alters or
(14:27):
references and reminders that He is faithful even when you
don't understand what He's doing right now, which is it's challenging, right,
It's like, come on, God, show me, like what's inside
your head? What am I not seeing? Right? But when
that doubt creeps back in, because it will, you can
come back to that list and say, Okay, he was
faithful then and he will be faithful now. And so together,
(14:49):
you know, these five steps aren't a formula per se.
They're really just an invitation and an invitation to move
toward God even in your questions, because He doesn't need
you to have it all figured out. He just wants
your heart to stay open and your ears to stay attuned,
and your spirit to stay connected. And so listen, if
(15:10):
you're walking through a season of uncertainty right now, I
just want to remind you you're not doing it wrong,
and you're not a bad Christian for wanting to ask
God questions, and you're not broken. You're human and your
questions might just be the beginning of a deeper and
more honest and more powerful relationship with God, the God
who sees you and loves you and is so for you. Okay.
(15:34):
More importantly, God's got you, So you've got this, okay.
And remember, at the end of the day, our journey
with God is just that it is a journey, and
it's gonna be filled with highs and lows and certainties
and doubts and clarity and confusion. It's just that there's
so many distinctions in the growth, right but through it all,
God remains constant. And so if you find yourself questioning,
(15:57):
know that it's okay. It's more than okay. It's actually
just an invitation though, to draw closer, to seek deeper,
and to grow stronger in your faith. And remember God
isn't afraid of your questions. He absolutely welcomes them, and
more than that, he welcomes you just as you are
questions in all. Okay, so thank you so much for
(16:18):
joining me on this episode today. I love walking through
these questions with you, as they truly help me too.
And so we will be back next week from more
of the God Pod. Bye for now, We'll be back
with more What's God Got to Do with It? But
in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear from you,
so just tell me where you are in your story
(16:39):
or maybe what questions you have, like where do you
feel you need clarity or support or wisdom in your
own journey. I definitely want to hear from you, So
head on over to What's God Got to Do with It?
Dot com and scroll down to the form to share
your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you can do
that instantly. So What's God Got to Do It? Dot
(17:00):
Com You'll find all the ways to do that. And
if you like this podcast and want to hear more,
go ahead and follow, like, and subscribe wherever you listen
to podcasts to get your weekly dose of What's God
Got to Do With It? New episodes drop every single Tuesday,
and while you're there, be sure to rate and review
to show your support. It really means so much. What's
(17:24):
God Got to Do With It Is an iHeartRadio podcast
on the Amy Brown Podcast Network. It's written and hosted
by me Leanne Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post
production and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written
by Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
Host
Leanne Ellington
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