Hard Questions

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
- James 1:5

Hard questions abound. Whether you are talking about understanding God, yourself, your spouse, your kids, the world or even trying to figure out how to make a $100 in the bank account cover a $400 payment due. Some of the hardest can come from the lips of a child armed with only one relentless, unending question: why?

We all struggle with hard questions. Some are hard because they are unanswerable, impractical, lost to history, marred by our past, limited by our resources…shall I keep going? Some are hard simply because we are ignorant. I don’t mean that as a disparaging comment. I mean it literally; we just don’t know what we need to know to answer the question.

None of us have all the answers. Some days I’m just content to have one. As a speaker I have been confronted publicly with many hard questions. Sometimes my answers just stink. Other times I have none. I’m not alone. None of us are perfect.

Martin Luther is well documented as having had an “abrasive, contentious, and often vulgar, communication style”. It has been said that he was once asked by a student, “What was God doing before He created the world?” Luther quickly responded, “He sat under a birch tree in the woods cutting switches to punish people with nosey questions!” (Several variations of this quote exist. I utilize a paraphrase from memory out of the audio book by historian Daniel J. Boorstin, The Creators, 1992)

Why is it we feel we have to have all the answers? Why is it we think we cannot fully commit to our Lord if we have any doubts?

Socrates is considered by many to be one of the wisest people who ever lived. However, his entire philosophy was built on the concept that he had no answers. Only questions. The Socratic paradox was his statement, “I know that I know nothing.”

I want to know everything. Yet, everything I learn only leads me to more questions. And that is a good thing.

Never fear ignorance or the inability to answer hard questions. What we should fear is being satisfied with what we know. Being comfortable with our knowledge. What a tragic position to be in to be comfortable in our limited understanding.

Even worse is when, in our ignorance, we simply adopt what others say. Others may lead, challenge and enlighten. However, in all the information they share, you will never find the answer you truly desire. It can only be found in the Word—in Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Questions and doubts are meant to bring us to the Lord. They are ever present to draw us to Him. They are a catalyst.

Questions and doubts can unlock spiritual growth if we handle them properly. By that I mean, if we take them to our Lord. As James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

The Lord is the Word. The Word of God is the Bible. The Bible is our constitution. A constitution means a document that establishes. Truth is established in God’s Word. His answers will always align with His Word. THE ANSWER can only become OUR ANSWER when we ask Him, seek Him and knock at His door.

Got hard questions? Ask. Seek. Knock. The wisdom you need for this moment to walk in Christ will be given to you! Then keep asking—moment by moment, day by day.

© 2026 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.