The Wrong Questions

Are We Asking The Wrong Questions?

When disaster strikes, we ask, “Why?” When suffering comes into our lives, we ask, “Why me?” These are the wrong questions. We should be asking, “What can I learn from this?” Or, “How do I deal with it?” No life is free from adversity. It is foolish to think that we can go through life unscathed. Troubles come into life as surely “as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). No one should be surprised by adversity. It is inevitable! How we deal with it is another issue altogether. It can make us or break us, and we really do determine which it will be.

When troubles enter a marriage the first question often raised is, “Should we get a divorce?” But, again, that is the wrong question. What should be asked is, “How do we fix it?” There are no broken marriages which cannot be fixed if both parties want to resolve the problems. At the root of nearly every broken marriage is a communication problem. And frankly, at the heart of this problem is a failure not to talk but to listen. It is not by accident that James admonished, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). When we focus on the symptoms we are asking the wrong questions. If you find yourself in a troubled marriage, start looking for solutions, not an escape!

When religious controversy arises, the question is raised: “Who is right?” That’s another example of asking the wrong questions! The correct question ought to be, “What is right?” If truth is to triumph in the hearts of men there must be a constant pursuit of the truth. After all, it was Jesus who said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). We cannot close our eyes to the message because we dislike the messenger. We must not reject the truth because it conflicts with our traditions. We must not let the messenger have more sway over us than the message. This is, however, exactly what happens when we allow “smooth words and flattering speech” to triumph over truth (Romans 16:17-18).

When someone dies the inevitable question is, “How did they die?” Was it an accident? Had they been sick? Did they have a heart attack? But, the more important question to be raised is, “How did they live?” Death is inevitable, and judgment follows (Hebrews 9:27). The verdict rendered at Judgment is not based on how we died, but how we lived? Perhaps we would all benefit from an honest appraisal of how we are living, and whether or not we are prepared for death and what follows!

Don’t get mired in asking the wrong questions. Let’s ask the right questions. Let’s consult the Bible for the right answers.