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What to do when you want to question or complain to God?

 

Photo by Alexander Nachaj on Unsplash

Hab 2:1 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. 

Questioning God and complaining to God. These are sensitive matters of faith. Indeed, who am I to question or to complain before God who is Almighty? Yet, I learn something new each day from God's word. He is the Living God. He is my Father who is in heaven therefore, He wants His children to pray and and be honest before Him. 

David, who is man after God's own heart, knew that we cannot hide anything as God searches all hearts; thus, children of God can confess all worries, all questions and all complains. 

1Ch 28:9  “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 

However, there are important things to consider that prophet Habakkuk did when he came to God with questions and complain.

  1. Be in the watchpost. Serious seekers will need to isolate self from the busy world and pause to carefully listen before God. This could mean daily discipline of 30 minutes or 1 hour or more in God's word, listening to preaching, learning from godly authors on their experiences, praying and journals. 
  2. Wait on what He will say. Patience is lucrative these days. Nobody ever wants waiting. But, faith in God teaches patience. Hebrews 11:1 says, "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." You can't touch it, you can't see it, but you know for sure, for real, that God hears and He will answer. Again, serious seekers will wait. Waiting on God taught me a lot of lessons and is still teaching me. Elizabeth Elliot said that suffering is never for nothing. I think waiting can be suffering and it's never for nothing. Some good things about waiting on God:
    • It can help you to be thankful of what you have. I've been single for most of my years and one of my biggest appreciation was years of using those time to improve my skills, grow friendships, serve my family, serve my church and enjoy alone time.   
    • It allows me constant reliance on God and not self. We have been praying for baby and what I am still learning is just depend on God's providence, that His timing is always best, that childlessness now is our best. His ways is always better. How can I argue with God's sovereignty instead, constantly trust in Him.     
  3. Trust on His answer. Habakkuk didn't know when would Judah will be captivated by Babylon from the time God told him nor he didn't know that Babylon will rule for 70 years. What did he know? Only what God told him to write in Hab 2:2  And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. When I seek the Lord's wisdom I only know what is current. I don't know what will be next after that step i take like when I resigned from first job of 6 years to getting hired in new company. Habakkuk only know what was told him but that was enough for him at that time. It was enough to answer his questions and complains. The Lord encouraged his faith by teaching him to fear God, trust His plans and rejoice in God of salvation and strength (Habakkuk 3). 

Lastly, questions and complains before God are dangerous situations for every person. Satan, the Father of lies, can manipulate anyone in this dilemma. However, true children of God, like Habakkuk, will be desperate. He knew temptation can come and so he came to stand in the watchpost, wait on what God will say and trust His answer. I counsel myself this, by God's grace. 

Hab 2:4  “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.  
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