Embrace Questioning!
Do we embrace all questions?
Like, “Are you stupid?”
No, it’s not questions,
But the act of questioning
That deserves embrace.
Not all questions are
Developed with pure motives.
Embrace those that are!
Embrace a pure heart
Full of inquisitiveness.
Ask because you care.
When you meet someone
Ask their name and remember –
Use it lovingly.
Ask about their life.
Listen with sincere interest.
Listening’s a gift.
Questioning’s one thing;
Listening is another.
They go hand in hand.
When I think of questioning with a pure motive and listening with an open heart, I think of Job. Even if you are not a Christian, seeped in the Bible stories, you have heard the expression, “The patience of Job.” (That’s pronounced Jobe… not job, like Steve Jobs, the American business magnate). What made the prophet, Job, come to mind?
Job is presented in the Bible as a good and prosperous family man who is beset by Satan with God‘s permission with horrendous disasters that take away all that he holds dear, including his children, his health, and his property. He struggles to understand his situation and begins a search for the answers to his difficulties. Searching for answers involves questioning. He does so without condemning God. He maintains his trust in God to ultimately work for his good – even when he is in the worst of his turmoil.
What a desolate looking man!
What must he be saying to God?
What questions would you be asking?
What does Job ask God?
“He demands answers from God Himself. Job wants to know why bad things happen to good people. He knows it’s not right, and will not accept the saccharine answers of his friends.”
God, “Why Have You Made Me Your Target”? (Job 7:20)
God explains to Job that to us mere mortals sometimes there are no words—no rationalizations—that can make sense of the unhappiness we endure.
Trauma happens and we have to accept it. Explanations may make us feel better, but they mislead. Ultimately, Job, like all of us, must endure suffering not knowing why … or if the question even counts.
Once Job accepts this, he somehow manages to live with his trauma without becoming its victim.
The Book of Job asks “why good people suffer,” but never actually answers the question. What it does do, is correct misconceptions about why we suffer. The truth of this wonderful tale is that man can’t know everything.
Again, let me repeat, “Once Job accepts this, he somehow manages to live with his trauma without becoming its victim.”
How does this story relate to your life and mine?
Have you ever questioned why life was
throwing stones at you that you didn’t deserve?
Or have you questioned why you didn’t get a job that you knew you deserved?
This happened recently to my son. He applied for a job that he knew he was qualified for. Another person was chosen instead. He got a form letter of rejection. Instead of falling into a fit of depression or raging in disbelief, he called the person who did get the job and congratulated her. He asked if there was anything he could do to support her in her assignment – and he asked her to keep an eye out in case she saw a position in the future for which she thought he might be a good fit.
Within a day, he received a call back and an extension of his responsibilities was offered along with a significant pay raise.
Now, I’m not suggesting that every time you ask the right questions with the right motive, you’ll get a pay raise!
No, it’s not that simple. But, what embracing questioning does is it changes your focus. The right questions – in the right spirit – make the difference between misery and openness. The difference between depression and expression. The difference between pessimism and positivity.
Embrace a pure heart
Full of inquisitiveness.
Ask because you care.
Don’t question, “Why you?”
Instead ask, “What can I do?”
“Can I be of any help?”
Your attitude counts.
Humility is the key.
Embrace questioning!
the day before his interview.
God is good.
All the time!
Even to the Jobs of this world!
Be patient in love.
Your pay raise is coming!!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
Got any questions??
See ya tomorrow.
Comments on: "Embrace Questioning" (13)
A great post Jan! Yes questions are always important! Without questions we just bottle it up and eventually burst! God did not condemn Job for questioning… he just redirected his thoughts and gave them perspective.
Right! Redirected thoughts – tuning in to God’s better plan – can be really hard if you’re challenged as much as Job was – but he certainly gives us the ultimate example, doesn’t he? Thanks for commenting, {{{Dwight}}} – have a super Sunday afternoon. Hugs!
You are welcome… and you too!
The subsequent lifelong friend who ran my Social Work Training Course was known by students as “God”. He said “I am not the god of answers but I am the god of questions”
How interesting! I sure would not want a nickname of “god” !! That’s too much to live up to! But. he had a great response /\…/\ and I bet his questioning was a skill to behold! <3
It really was – I used that training all my working life. X
I’m glad there is so much that our world has to offer for us to learn about and question. Everything from black holes in the universe to the lives of the tiniest of insects, and everything else in between. What a fantastic world we have!
That was an incredibly thoughtful thing that your son did, Jan. I’m glad it worked out well for him. xx
Thank you, {{{Lesley}}} – I’m glad, too. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend. Beeee well!! <3
Hi Jan, thank you. I saw on Donna’s post that you said you and Bob have had both Covid injections. That’s great. Billy (hubby) and I are going for our first one this coming Sunday. I know the world still has some way to go to try to contain and manage the virus, but I feel we’re making headway.
🌞❤️
Great news! Headway, indeed! <3 <3
The statistics here in the UK are showing that deaths and hospitalisation due to Covid have been reduced by 75% since the roll out of the vaccine. I just hope the prime minister remains cautious when easing restrictions. xx
That’s really good new. I will pray with you that the trend downward continues as people remain cautious and diligent about wearing masks (even if they, like us, have received their 2nd shot).
Thank you, Jan. 🙏