by Michael Donahoe
To those of us who have grown up in church, have you ever felt that you needed to know all the answers? Were you afraid to ask questions? When a non-believer questions your faith, or asks something about the Bible, do you feel you have to know the answer and be able to explain it to them?
I know I have always felt that way. Although the more I think about it and the more I run into people who have all sorts of questions, I have come to realize that I do not have all the answers…and that is okay.
Even my wife and I talk we come up with questions we cannot answer. We have come to realize that God is too big for us to figure out. If we do not have all the answers for ourselves, how could we have all the answers for everyone else?
Basically, questioning is not wrong. I think we have been taught that we should not question the pastor, the Bible, our faith, even God, but God is not afraid of our questions. What is wrong with us saying ‘I don’t know’?
Admitting that you do not know does not mean you are not a good Christian. Admitting that you do not know does not mean your faith is shallow or we do not believe God.
If we knew everything, what kind of a God would we be serving anyway? The Spirit will be teaching us throughout our entire life here on earth, and we still will not begin to know it all.
While Jesus was on earth, he basically told stories and parables. A lot of the time, he did not give an answer but usually asked another question. I suppose if he gave a direct answer, we would have made it a basic doctrine by now anyway.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be afraid to say I don’t know. That is the best way to learn. God is perfectly capable of guiding us to the truth in His timing.
Michael Donahoe created Done with Religion after he and his wife left the institutional church after over fifty years within the system. He wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system, and tell why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. They have now been outside the walls of religion for over fifteen years. He enjoys writing about his experiences and thoughts, and he wants to encourage others who are going through the religious deconstruction process. He also writes on Substack at https://deconstructiontrail.substack.com/ and https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/ Michael can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com
Done with Religion 