“You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.”
(Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV)
Our Pain Raises Hard Questions
Accusations toward the Almighty God abound. We hurl our hangups at him in our pain and disorientation: Why don’t you stop evil? Why are you silent? Why won’t you solve the problems in the world at this time or in this way?
Many people in the Bible cried out the same questions: Why do you stand far off (Psalm 10:1)? Why have you forsaken me (Psalm 22:1)? Why do you stand idly by as evil prevails (Habakkuk 1:13)?
God Answers Our Hard Questions
Dear friend, God is not silent. In fact, he has given you a whole book of his thoughts. He has spoken, and still speaks through his Word. Perhaps we have not taken the time to listen. Perhaps we haven’t sought him earnestly and honestly with our questions. Perhaps we are not willing to wait patiently and expectantly in faith for him to answer.
The prophet Habakkuk asked God why he lets evil go unchecked (Habakkuk 1:13). God answered him (Habakkuk 1:5). Job asked God to explain why he had to suffer so terribly (Job 3:20-26). God answered (Job 38:1). Jesus asked the Father why he forsook him (Matthew 27:46). And the Father answered him (Acts 2:24-28).
There is a marvelous promise in the Bible. It’s more than a promise. It’s a challenge to you and to me, and it comes from God himself. He says, “You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV).
God must be sought. He will not play hide-and-seek if you search for him (Isaiah 45:19). If you want answers and you want to find him, he’s waiting to be found by you. In fact, he’s waiting to be gracious to you and show you his compassion (Isaiah 30:18). He’s waiting to reveal his goodness to you and show you his glory.
Seek God with Your Hard Questions
What questions do you have that stir up turmoil in your soul? Often, we vent our questions about God to others or harbor them in our hearts without ever bringing them before the Lord himself. I encourage you to seek God today! Seek him with your questions. Ask him the tough ones in humility and faith, and believe that he is the Living God, who can and will answer your cries because he wants you to know him!
Hebrews tells us that seeking God is an act of genuine faith, and that “whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Seek him in faith today, not only expressing the tough questions of your heart, but also taking time to listen to what God has already revealed about himself in your Word. Spend time reading the Bible, asking God to answer your questions through his Word.
As God gently answers your pained complaints, you will find him to be more real and good and loving than you ever imagined.