7 Questions To Ask When Bad Things Are Happening
When people are going through trails and troubles, we all tend to ask ourselves many things on a single, searching question: “Why is this happening to me?”
Ask Better Questions
Today, I can confidently say that one of the greatest lesson that I've learned from my setbacks, and fall downs was having God speak to my heart about the following questions: My friends, understand that the answers we get are often determined by the questions that we ask.
If we ask tear-down questions for the situation, we’re likely to get bad, broken answers. But if we ask lovely, life giving questions—empowering questions—we might get better answers. Choose to empower yourself with God's truth over devouring yourself with the lies of the enemy. We must come to a place where our answers don't reinforce and promote the idea that we’re "broken, busted and disgusted."
Instead, try I'm loved. I'm a child of God. He is pleased with me!
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
With that in mind, here are my seven questions you can ask yourself when things head South:
1. What Does This Make Possible?
Let's start whit this simple question. It helps to realign your focus on Jesus, and it helps you to look for new possibilities in the midst of troubles that life often brings.
2. What If It’s Not the End but a New Beginning?
This question drags you out of the false notion of hopelessness. It reminds you that you’re not permanently stuck. Maybe if we look up and in God's word, We will remember His promising words, "He that begins a work, will finish it out until the day of completion." Phil 1:6
God is just getting started with you, change your view to an eternal perspective. With the “new beginning” point of view, you can see something fresh, and new that is timeless. You may be missing this now, but God will show you soon.
3. What If the Answer Is Just over the Next Mountain?
This question (and the next two) help to lengthen your time horizon. Broaden your scope in life. You may hear nor see God's answer to your prayers now, but how often has God delayed? He may be saving you, a friend, or a family member from something! Have you ever experienced God's delay to your prayer as a blessing? Has this been true before in your life? Over time, God always tends to work things out. He makes ALL THINGS BRAND NEW!
4. What If I Need This to Prepare Me for the Next Chapter?
Troubles often lead to changes in our lives. We change schools. We change associates. We change church. We change jobs, shift careers, reevaluate things. Maybe instead of asking “why?” here you should be asking God “what is coming next?” Rejoice! God will often Separate you. Sit you down. Send you out.
5. What Will I Tell My Children About This?
This question adds a deeper, personal layer, and helps to really pull you out of your “broke, busted and disgusted mentality." It presupposes not only that you are going to get over this, but that you’re going to grow and learn from it—and distill lessons for not limited to just your children, but to everyone you mentor and disciple.
6. What If Jesus Knows Exactly What I Need?
This question helps to realign you spiritually. Again, it's not "What if Jesus Knows", because He knows exactly what you need before you even ask in prayer. Remember that! If we don’t quite get it yet, God does.
7. What If God’s Speaking to Me in These Troubles and Blessing Me?
There's often time a hidden blessing in the midst of adversity! This question helps to focus us on the blessings that can come from going through adversity. I’ve experienced them my whole life. Plenty. There's a time and a season for everything including crisis. I hope these questions can help you to clearly see the hidden blessings in life, too.
Tweet Quote:
"There's often a hidden blessing in the midst of the adversity you're facing." - Rashawn Copeland : http://ctt.ec/0ke04