When God doesn’t answer your questions

When I started studying Theology, I hoped to find solid answers to my difficult questions. I was looking for more security and stability in my faith and I hoped to get it from knowing it all. I thought that when I studied the ancient languages, the cultural and historical context of the books of the Bible, and doctrines about the things of God, I’d have the answers I was been looking for. I was sure that at the end of my studies, I’d know the will of God in every situation and have crystal clear answers to the questions on faith. 

What I found weren’t answers but more questions. At university, a place where I hoped to find clarity, I realized that nothing was truly clear. Everything can be questioned, and we must approach theories with discernment. I’ve read books of great Theologians with outstanding insight and a passion for God’s word. Some professors have been working 16 hours a day for years, trying to get to the root of passages. Even though they have A LOT of amazing things to say, they don’t know all the answers. There are always many aspects open for discussion and even more issues that stretch our understanding of logic. 

I realized that what I was really looking for was certainty. I thought that when I had all the answers, I’d knew what decision to make under any circumstance. I’d know how to live my life, what my future holds, and what comes next. Yes, I’ve learned a lot during my studies, and I’ve most certainly grown in the field of Theology. But I don’t have all the solid answers I was hoping to get.

While I was studying, I battled real-life issues. My biggest struggle was my health (I’m talking more about my chronic health journey in some other blog posts: They’re linked at the end of this article). I didn’t know why I had to go through such pain. Of course, I’ve learned about different ways to approach the question of suffering. But I realized that there were no convincing explanations as to why evil exists, there are only assumptions. Those theories are supported by bad, good, or great arguments but none of them portrays a clear picture and a solid answer with no question mark whatsoever. 

Doctrines are important, discernment is necessary, and knowledge is indeed power. But there are limitations to knowing when it comes to the knowledge of God. With a humble attitude, we should strive to get to the root of things. When we know that we don’t know, we’re open to learning and therefore we can grow in wisdom.

But many times, God doesn’t give us clear answers to our questions. What he really wants from us is our „yes“ and „God, I trust you.“ There’s no real certainty anywhere in this life. We can look for security in our finances, health, people, etc. But those pillars are unstable and can collapse at any minute. While our whole life is uncertain, faith is the only certainty there is.

During my health battle, I asked God for an explanation, insight, and guidance daily. As my Why grew louder, I got more and more desperate and hopeless. In the process of not getting the answers I longed for, I’ve learned that my walk with God is built on faith. The key is to trust him.

To this day, I don’t know why I had to deal with chronic pain for 5 years. It was the most difficult period of my life and still, I have more questions than answers. But what I’ve learned is this: Certainty is only found in God and not in knowledge. Faith and trust are required.

Yes, knowing God provides stability. It is important to know who God is, what he’s been doing, and who we are in his light. But there are limitations to explain how he works and why things happen. We don’t know for sure why the world is the way it is and the meaning of life in general (glorifying God sounds good but doesn’t go far enough).

I can tell you that the best place you can be is when you don’t know everything. When you don’t have control and can’t see what’s next, you should rejoice and be glad, because then you have to rely on God and are open to growing in wisdom. And when you’re building your whole life on faith, you have a solid and stable foundation. 

When you let go of stability and shallow explanations, you start walking by faith. As God responds to our faith, he’ll meet you where you take more and more steps towards trusting him.

Read more about my chronic pain journey:

8 things that 5 years of chronic pain have taught me

How God changed me

What to do when you’re confronted with challenges

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