Questions

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. [6] For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. [8] We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- [10] always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. [11] For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
2 Cor. 4:5-11

I planned on writing on this yesterday but I pulled a double shift (6am-2pm and 4pm-12am).  Hope it's right on time!  I suppose there are several parts of the passage which I've been mulling over.  Though we would likely never admit we think the Christian walk of faith in Christ will be easy, we sometimes wish it to was easier!  We read of men and women of faith in scripture doing valiant things for God's glory.  There are successes, failures, moments of doubt and boldness alike.

As I read this passage over and over, I noticed all the things which Paul claims marked his life as a believer.  We are hard pressed on every said, Paul says.  We are perplexed, persecuted, struck down, and ultimately delivered to death for Christ's sake.  There was one of these experiences which we might think was due to a lack of faith:  being perplexed.  I freely confess I am very familiar with being perplexed.  But as Paul says, we are perplexed but not in despair.  It is faith in Christ and His sovereign plan which keeps us from despair.  It is not a sin to be perplexed any more than being hard pressed on every side.

There is a tendency for us Christians to think that we must have all the answers, we must have knowledge to combat every doubt of the world.  We feel foolish when we are ignorant - "I should have known that," we think.  Yet isn't it true that ignorance marks mankind more than knowledge?  For all a man might know there is much more he recognizes he does not know.  A perplexed mind is a working mind.  If you are walking with Jesus and are not at times perplexed, I wonder how that could be.  The disciples were always asking Jesus to explain things because they did not understand.  It's crazy with all the time I have spent teaching adults and youth how few questions I have fielded over that time.  God made our minds to think.  The more we think the more questions we will have.  We should ask questions of God, not question Him.

I am comforted by the fact Jesus never upbraided his disciples for asking a question because they saw themselves ignorant.  People sometimes ask questions to test others, not because they are seeking wisdom.  But I believe scripture reveals how God honors the questions of those who ask in faith seeking God's wisdom in a situation.  We often are looking for clear-cut answers.  Sometimes the answers never seem to come.  But in His grace and mercy God leads us away from despair and doubt.  We need not wallow in despair.  He wants to turn our thoughts from obstacles or struggles and onto Him.  We might not have answers and perhaps we never will.  But let us pray that whatever we face causes the life of Christ to be manifested through us.