The Courage To Ask Questions

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when one contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.” — Albert Einstein

This week in the Daily Devos, we'll be exploring what it means to employ curiosity as a spiritual practice.  

You might be curious what this might look like, and how we could spend five days reflecting on it.  I'd call that a good start. 

Curiosity is perhaps one of the most underrated aspects of a healthy approach to life and life's challenges.  It's also difficult to maintain during challenging moments.  When we are feeling sadness, anger, guilt, and even joy, we don't often pause to wonder why.  

I think the same thing applies to faith.  Most of us have been taught not to question God or the teachings of our church.  We don't ask questions as much as we should about our deeply held beliefs.  

Many of us were taught that faith means having answers.

We learned to admire certainty, confidence, and conviction. Questions, on the other hand, were often treated as signs of weakness or doubt. Yet when we open the pages of Scripture, we discover that some of the most faithful people asked profound questions.

Moses asks God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11).

The Psalms are filled with questions: “How long, O Lord?” “Why do you hide your face from me?” “Where can I go from your Spirit?”

Even Mary asks the angel, “How can this be?” (Luke 1:34).

Faith, it turns out, is not the absence of questions.

Often, it is the willingness to keep asking them.

Einstein's words remind us that curiosity begins with wonder. It recognizes that reality is larger and more mysterious than we can fully comprehend. Curiosity keeps us humble. It reminds us that no matter how much we learn, there is always more to discover.

The same is true when it comes to spirituality.

Curiosity invites us to approach God not as a problem to be solved, but as a mystery to be explored. It encourages us to remain open, teachable, and attentive. Instead of rushing toward quick answers, curiosity allows us to sit with questions long enough to hear what God might be revealing through them.

In a world that often rewards certainty, curiosity can be a radical act of faith.

It says, “I do not know everything, but I am willing to keep learning.”

It says, “There is more to discover.”

It says, “God is bigger than my understanding.”

The spiritual life begins not when all the questions are answered, but when we become willing to ask them.

Prayer

God of mystery and wonder, give me the courage to ask honest questions. Help me approach faith with curiosity rather than fear and teach me to trust that you are present even when answers are not immediately clear. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. What spiritual question has stayed with you over the years?
2. How were questions viewed in your faith upbringing?
3. What might God be inviting you to explore more deeply right now?