Paul Used Questions Too...
Chapter 2 of Philippians starts with a list of questions.
Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness?
This verse always makes me pause and think. Does my life in Christ give me strength? In all honesty, sometimes I don't feel strong. I feel like I am not up to all that is on my plate or on my mind...
Then I look at the comfort question - I'm challenged there too. I'm one of those people who doesn't spend too much time thinking about how I feel, but then I spiral into overwhelm because I didn't read the warning signs...
What Paul could have done was just make statements. That would have gone something like this:
You should be strong because life in Christ gives you what you need. You should feel comfort and share in the Spirit, as well as have experience receiving and giving mercy and kindness.
I'm quite sure that if that verse was presented like that I would not pause and think the way I do when I read it as it is.
Now let's personalize it. What would better questions look like in my everyday conversations?
[Warning: not all questions are GOOD questions. Many are a cloaked way of saying, "Can I have permission to tell you what I think you should do?" or even worse a slightly kinder way of saying, "Don't you get it? Let me tell you what to do!]
Instead of:
"You know what I would do?" try "What do you think some options are?"
"Why don't you just _________?" try "What is holding you back from moving forward?"
"You know God wants to guide you right?" try "How do you feel God guiding you?"
Think of a recurring conversation you have been having with someone, where they are stuck and want to move forward. What could you ask that would offer assurance that God has a plan and that they will find it if they keep journeying?
How about some of these:
"What could it look like for you to see this situation as an opportunity for God to meet you right there in the middle of what you are going through?"
"How could you experience Christ's strength and love at this season of your life?"
What if you and I truly believed that God wanted to be there for us and others? What if we could embrace learning to discern His heart and voice right where we are instead of thinking all the good will come WHEN we get somewhere else? What if He is there for us all more than we are realizing?