Questions and the Conversation

Friday, March 14, 2008

It’s all about asking the right questions.

Recently I have had several conversations that made me wish that someone would ask me the questions that would allow me to tell them what I’m really all about. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman, and I need to talk, but there is something very special about being able to express who you are, not just what you think or what you did. I want to believe that someone takes interest in who I am, and is curious enough to probe and find out.

As I was pondering this wish to be drawn out by insightful questions, someone point out, “You keep wishing that people would ask you the right kinds of questions to draw you out. Don’t you think God feels that way sometimes about us?”

It was an odd concept. I had never thought of it that way before. God wants ME to draw HIM out? I thought of our past conversations: true enough, I don’t think I ever asked anything beyond, “What do you want from me?” Not exactly the warm cuddly question that makes someone want to expose their true heart to you. I had never asked God, “what makes you happy? What do you think about this particular issue? Is this something you might like?” It’s even more than what kind of questions but the *intent* behind them. I don’t think I was that interested in knowing what God thought before. I just wanted to know so I could do it, do the “right thing,” and get on with my life. “Yeah yeah, just tell me the rules so i can follow them begrudgingly.”

I’ve decided I don’t want that kind of relationship with God anymore. Maybe I’m making God too human, but I will try to talk with God as I would a human - trying to find out what makes Him laugh, what makes Him happy, sad, angry.  It’s a new approach for me. And if I don’t know the right questions to ask, I think I’ll ask Him, “what questions should I ask so I can draw you out and get to know you better?”

It’s definitely a question worth asking.

1. That’s beautiful, Kat. And it makes sense, since we are made in His image. That desire has to come from somewhere!

   Posted by laura  on  03/14  at  08:16 PM

2. p.s. You should totally go see John Eldredge talk about Walking with God in April: link to schedule and video preview. His new book is going to be phenomenal.

   Posted by laura  on  03/15  at  04:36 PM

3. insightful and well put.  i think i will try that too.

   thanks

   Posted by  on  03/21  at  05:57 PM

4. Kat, would you be interested in that John Eldredge talk that Laura mentioned? It’s just down the road from Pasadena in Eagle Rock. You could stick around after work, we could grab dinner and head over. Interested?

   April 21, 2008
   Los Angeles, CA
   Christian Assembly Church
   2424 Colorado Boulevard Eagle Rock, CA
   7:00 p.m.
   $10

   Posted by  on  04/19  at  12:24 AM