Afraid to Ask Questions
I find Ecclesiastes frustrating. Along with Proverbs. And Leviticus. And a lot of other parts of the Bible. I want things to just make sense when I read them. I want to know what the passages mean and why they are included in the Bible and what I’m supposed to do with such information. But when I read the Bible I am presented with so many questions that I find reading it frustrating sometimes. I’m not going to get into all those questions right now (there’s waaaay too many to do that here), but I think it’s important to recognize how such questions can affect a Christian.
Sometimes I don’t feel like dealing with mind boggling passages so I tend to read “easier” material. I love the stories in 1 Samuel and Acts, and Job is one of my top go-to books. I don’t run into as many questions in this material as I would when reading, say, the letters of Paul. But my view of Scripture could never be complete if I ignore books of the Bible simply because I don’t feel like reading them. Certainly, there is a time for reading the historical stories of the Bible or the flow-y poetry found in Job, but there is also a time for reading the books of prophesy, the epistles, etc.
The Leap into Questions
If you’re anything like me and are hesitant to dive into confusing passages of Scripture, let me encourage you (and myself) to take the leap. It’s not all going to make sense right away and it’s totally ok to have questions. Actually, having questions is a really good thing! You’re processing the information you read! Lean into these questions and write them down. Ponder God’s Word and find someone you trust to mentor you along the way. Questions have the potential to be a tool that deepens your faith, or to be a deterrent that scares you away from positive growth. Let your questions inspire you to search for the truth instead of holding you back from the hidden treasures of God’s Word.