Brian Blankenship
10th May 2008, 11:36 PM (23:36)
Ron Dunn in his book, When Heaven is Silent speaks of times of great difficulty in his life. The first happened when his son committed suicide. The second happened as a result of the first which threw him into a severe depression.
He kept asking "why Lord has this happened?" Every day it seemed he got no answer to the question. Over and over he would ask, with no result.
Then, in a moment of clarity, he discovered he had been asking the wrong question the whole time. Instead of asking "why me Lord? or Why has this happened to my loved one?" He asked "what do I do now?"
There was one thing that he couldn't change and that was the reality, this tragedy really did happen in his life. Now, as a result of this happening to me, and my family, "what do I do now?"
The amazing thing is that the question "why" always ends up in a cyclical pattern leading to more unanswered questions, which only lead to more frustration and pain. When he began to ask "what do I do now." He discovered that he now had input into the solution. Instead of the constant nagging question which plunged him into the severe depression. Now, he changed his focus to what he could do now.
Jeremiah 33:3 says "call on me and I will tell you great and wonderful things which you do not know." We know that God is big enough to deal with our questions. The problem is that when Job asked his endless questions, God took him back and asked him, where were you when I created all this.
When Moses asked his list of five questions for God in Exodus 3, God lovingly provided an answer until Moses told God, send somebody else. Then God became angry.
When Gideon asked God his questions when God called him to lead the people of Israel, I believe there are three or four questions, it seems that God ignored him and called him "mighty warrior." And then he told him to be obedient to his word.
My question is this, are there questions that you have strugged with and then other questions that you have asked that have not only helped you, but God used those questions to lead your difficult time into a ministry opportunity for you? I'm interested in your responses. Brian.
He kept asking "why Lord has this happened?" Every day it seemed he got no answer to the question. Over and over he would ask, with no result.
Then, in a moment of clarity, he discovered he had been asking the wrong question the whole time. Instead of asking "why me Lord? or Why has this happened to my loved one?" He asked "what do I do now?"
There was one thing that he couldn't change and that was the reality, this tragedy really did happen in his life. Now, as a result of this happening to me, and my family, "what do I do now?"
The amazing thing is that the question "why" always ends up in a cyclical pattern leading to more unanswered questions, which only lead to more frustration and pain. When he began to ask "what do I do now." He discovered that he now had input into the solution. Instead of the constant nagging question which plunged him into the severe depression. Now, he changed his focus to what he could do now.
Jeremiah 33:3 says "call on me and I will tell you great and wonderful things which you do not know." We know that God is big enough to deal with our questions. The problem is that when Job asked his endless questions, God took him back and asked him, where were you when I created all this.
When Moses asked his list of five questions for God in Exodus 3, God lovingly provided an answer until Moses told God, send somebody else. Then God became angry.
When Gideon asked God his questions when God called him to lead the people of Israel, I believe there are three or four questions, it seems that God ignored him and called him "mighty warrior." And then he told him to be obedient to his word.
My question is this, are there questions that you have strugged with and then other questions that you have asked that have not only helped you, but God used those questions to lead your difficult time into a ministry opportunity for you? I'm interested in your responses. Brian.