The Simple and Profound Power of Questions (Part Four)
The most powerful things in life and ministry are the simple things. Questions are simple, yet they can lead to profound results.
Healthy leaders question their own actions and motives.
The health of a local church is directly related to the health of its leadership. Jesus said as much, “A good tree (read “leader”) produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” (Matt 7: 17-18, New Living Translation).
How do I personally seek to allow good questions to shape the interior of my soul?
I repent regularly. Once a month I take an hour to repent. I mostly do not know what I am getting myself into. I read the prayer of the leader who says to the LORD, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139: 23-24).
We often seem to think that we know who we are. We really don’t. The psalmist asks God to search his heart and to reveal to him both “anxious thoughts” and “any offensive way.” Why does he do that? Because he knows what he does not know – his own heart.
Here is what I do. I kneel down with a blank piece of paper before me and a pen. I read the psalmist’s prayer as my own. Then I wait. I am asking God to surface both sinful behavior as well as sinful motives behind what I do (even good things can harbor evil intentions). “Lord, reveal to me what you wish to expose about me that is sinful.” It may take ten minutes, or more. I have learned to sit with inner silence. Then, low and behold, thoughts that I had not entertained surface in my consciousness. I write down what I believe it is that is sinful and then I repent; tell the Lord that I hate what was in me and turn from it, asking him for forgiveness. This exercise humbles me and heals me.
But what about the questions others pose to me?
I have learned to pay attention to the questions of others regarding my character and deeds as if they were rare coins. I collect them. However, the standard response to criticism is deflection or denial. This is always a sign of vanity.
When I pay attention to the criticism of others and take it to heart, I am in the process of becoming a better follower of Christ; looking more like him.
I don’t always get it right, but when I do, I respond to criticism with “Thank you for saying that. I will honestly consider your words and ask God to use them to help me.”
Social scientists tell us that we lie on the average of four to six times daily. The most pervasive lie is to the question, “How are you doing?” The lie is “I’m fine.” A question as banal as “How are you doing?” is an opportunity to slow down and get real. Instead of shooting from the hip with the standard “I’m fine”, we can take a deep breath and be led by the question to reflect on how we’re really doing.
Call to action
May I challenge you? Give yourself thirty minutes of “repentance-time” in the coming week. Use the psalmist’s prayer and make it your own. You might be surprised at what God says to you.
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My next blog series will travel over the terrain of temptation. Stay tuned.