My spiritual director once asked me, “If you were wrong, would you want to know?” The question stopped me in my tracks. I had been so certain that I was right that I hadn’t given any thought to the idea that I might be wrong.
That’s the power of a good question.
Questions have a way of slipping past our defenses. Think about it: Statements often make us argue. Advice can make us push back. But a thoughtful and well-placed question invites us to reflect. Psychologists have found that questions engage a different part of our minds than commands do. They awaken curiosity, expose assumptions, and help us uncover what’s happening beneath the surface. In his book Healing What’s Within, author Chuck DeGroat writes that transformation begins not by trying harder but by becoming curious about our inner world. Good questions create that kind of curiosity.
It’s no surprise, then, that after the first sin in human history, God doesn’t begin with a sermon, but with a question: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)
Now, God knows all things, and He knew where Adam was. He wasn’t looking for information; He was inviting self-awareness. Then came another question: “Who told you that you were naked?” (Genesis 3:11)
God was helping Adam identify the voice that had begun shaping his identity. Before sin, Adam lived in light of God’s declaration that creation was “very good.” Now he was listening to shame. Then God asked one final question, “What is this that you have done?” (Genesis 3:13). Not because God needed an explanation, but because confession is the first step toward healing.
Really notice the heart of God. He doesn’t chase Adam with accusations. He pursues him with questions. Questions that expose, invite, and eventually begin to restore. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus does the same thing. Again and again, He asks questions, not because He lacks answers, but because He knows that transformation often begins when we honestly answer the questions God is asking us.
Take a few moments today to sit quietly with Jesus and allow these questions to search your heart. Where might you be hiding from God today? What voices have been shaping your identity more than his voice? Is there an area of your life where God is gently asking you, “If you were wrong, would you want to know?” Don’t rush to answer. Let the questions do their work. God’s questions are never meant to shame you; they are invitations to deeper honesty, greater freedom, and a closer relationship with him.
Ryan Paulson