Unanswered questions

Now we see but a poor 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    

There is a list of about 60 unanswered questions that has been around for more than 4,000 years, questions that will never be answered. And who asked those questions? God Himself! Those 60 unanswerable questions are found in Job 38-41 in your Old Testament and the list is too long to mention here.

Chances are there are some unanswerable questions that have perplexed you as well. Your heart cries out, “Why, God?” Perhaps when you get to heaven you will have an answer but then, perhaps, when you get there it just won’t matter. But does it now? Is God annoyed with our questions? I don’t think so, unless our attitude is wrong. Sincere questions are valid. But many of the answers are simply beyond our understanding. If God chose to tell us why, our understanding would still keep us from being satisfied.

Job’s negative experience with suffering led to an encounter with God. When it happened, he fell on his face before God in humble contrition. In the same way, when you come to that place in your personal life, it is quite amazing how in the reflection of your tears you will see God. “My ears had heard of you,” Job cried out, “but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).

Admittedly, we would prefer to avoid walking through the valley, experiencing the sadness of seeing our world collapse. But many of the hard questions of life will find solutions only when we look back from heaven’s side and see the whole of life’s tapestry.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. John 3:17-21