Three Tips for Getting God’s Answers
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
Intellectuals challenge us to “question everything” yet often show contempt when we question them. I heard of the student who was told by his professor that there were no absolutes in life. The student asked, “Are you absolutely sure?”
Even some Christians cringe at questions. They think we should never question God, never admit our doubts, or express our anger to God. They think it shows a lack of faith and would upset God. But if you never ask questions, how will you ever get the answers?
The truth is, God welcomes our questions. In my own search for truth, I’ve found three tips for getting answers from God that have been helpful to me.
First: Seek honest answers to your questions. Billy Graham once said that the trouble with philosophers is that they are too busy seeking to find anything. If I lose something, the joy is not in my search but in my discovery! It’s ok to have questions if we are seeking honest answers. Do we honestly want to know the truth? In Jeremiah, God told the nation of Israel, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV) Perhaps one reason people have such a barrier to belief is that they are not truly seeking with all their heart. They may be seeking what they want to hear.
Secondly: Follow the truth wherever it leads. How do I know if I’m seeking honest answers to my questions? I must be willing to follow the truth wherever it leads. If I approach my search with preconceived conclusions, I’m not seeking honest answers. That’s called “fake news.” Let the evidence lead you to the truth. One of the greatest evidences for a Creator is creation itself. In Psalm 19:1, the Living Bible says, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of His craftsmanship.” It would be laughable to assume that what is created had no creator. Does a chair not presume a chair maker?
Nature itself declares there is a God, a Divine Creator who is both powerful and personal! In Romans 1:20 (NIV), the Apostle Paul wrote: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” When we look at creation, we see a Creator!
Another argument for the existence of a Creator is intelligent design. Recent discoveries in D.N.A. evidence have convinced more than one skeptic to follow the truth to the conclusion of an intelligent Creator. “For years, Antony Flew has been a figurehead for atheists. Now, though, he has abandoned his atheism and accepted the existence of God. In a recent interview for Philosophia Christi with Gary Habermas, Flew explained his new beliefs. Though Flew has not embraced Christianity, he now accepts the existence of God, saying that he ‘had to go where the evidence leads’”. (Existence of God article: Antony Flew Abandons Atheism)
You and I are more apt to get an answer if we follow the truth wherever it leads.
Finally: Don’t wait for all the answers to trust the Answer. None of us will get all the answers this side of heaven to every question. Even the great Apostle Paul said, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV) Still, the questions he had didn’t distract him from the truth he found in the Answer when he put his trust in Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 1:25 (NIV), he wrote, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” When you seek honest answers to your questions and follow the truth wherever it leads, you won’t have to wait for all the answers to every question to trust the ultimate answer you will find in Christ. As a Christ follower, I still have questions. I always will this side of heaven. Yet, despite those questions, I have found the ultimate answer in Jesus. Jesus is the answer for the world today. He is the way, the truth, and the life! He is the truth about the way to God, and He is the truth about the life God offers those who put their trust in Him. Have you put your trust in Him?
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.