Seeking Spiritual Guidance through Questioning and Doubt
Spiritual guidance can be sought through a process of questioning and doubt, which often involves self-examination and prayer. The biblical tradition encourages believers to search their hearts and minds, acknowledging that this process can lead to deeper understanding and a closer relationship with God [2, 4].
The book of Ecclesiastes illustrates this pursuit, with the Preacher stating, "I have compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse" [1]. Another translation renders this as, "I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness" [3]. John Gill interprets this passage as an eager desire to find true wisdom, which he equates with Christ and a spiritual knowledge of Him, noting the diligent search despite difficulties [9].
Self-examination is presented as a necessary spiritual discipline. Paul exhorts believers to "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5) [4]. John Gill explains that this self-examination helps individuals assess their spiritual state and find proof of Christ's presence within them [10]. This process should be undertaken with "holy awe" and "diligent search," accompanied by prayer for divine insight, as seen in Psalm 139:23, "Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts" [2, 4]. The purpose of such examination is often amendment and growth [4].
Doubt and trouble of soul are not uncommon in biblical narratives. Jesus himself experienced profound trouble in his soul at the prospect of his death, questioning "what shall I say?" (John 12:27) [8]. This demonstrates that even in moments of spiritual distress, a turning to God is appropriate. Similarly, Peter's declaration of faith in John 6:69 is seen by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown as an act of fortifying himself against "speculative difficulties" and moments when "all truth seems ready to depart from us" [7]. Such instances highlight that faith can be tried, and questioning can be a part of strengthening belief.
Prayer is a primary means of seeking guidance, commanded in scripture (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6) and directed towards God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit [6]. While scripture does not offer a theoretical explanation for the efficacy of prayer, it provides numerous examples and directions for its practice [5]. The act of prayer is described in various ways, including "bowing the knees," "lifting up the soul," and "pouring out the heart" [6]. Job's friend Eliphaz advises seeking God through prayer during affliction, suggesting it as a course of action for Job to imitate [12]. The ultimate goal of divine arrangements, according to Acts 17:27, is "That they should seek the Lord," even if it means "groping their way in the dark" [11].
Sources
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:27 (Geneva1599) — I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,”
- Psalms “Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. -- Psalms 139:23”
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:25 (YLT) — I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Examination — Enjoined -- 2Co 13:5. Necessary before the communion -- 1Co 11:28. Cause of difficulty in -- Jer 17:9. Should be engaged in With holy awe. -- Ps 4:4. With diligent search. -- Ps 77:6; La 3:40. With prayer for divine searching. -- Ps 26:2; 139:23,24. With purpose of amendment. -- Ps 119:59; La 3:40. Advantages of -- 1Co 11:31; Ga 6:4; 1Jo 3:20-22.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — The object of this article will be to touch briefly on-- + The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer; + Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer; + Its types and examples of prayer. + Scripture does not give any theoretical explanation of the mystery which attaches to prayer. The difficulty of understanding real efficacy arises chiefly from two sources: from the belief that man lives under general laws, which in all cases must be fulfilled unalterably; and the opposing belief that he is master of his own destiny, and need ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 6:69: And we believe,--(See on Mat 16:16). Peter seems to have added this not merely--probably not so much--as an assurance to his Lord of his heart's belief in Him, as for the purpose of fortifying himself and his faithful brethren against that recoil from his Lord's harsh statements which he was probably struggling against with difficulty at that moment. Note.--There are seasons when one's faith is tried to the utmost, particularly by speculative difficulties; the spiritual eye then swims, and all truth seems ready to depart from us. At such seasons, a clear”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 12:27: Now is my soul troubled--He means at the prospect of His death, just alluded to. Strange view of the Cross this, immediately after representing it as the hour of His glory! (Joh 12:23). But the two views naturally meet, and blend into one. It was the Greeks, one might say, that troubled Him. Ah! they shall see Jesus, but to Him it shall be a costly sight. and what shall I say?--He is in a strait betwixt two. The death of the cross was, and could not but be, appalling to His spirit. But to shrink from absolute subjection to the Father, was worse still.”
- Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7:25: I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom,.... Or, "I and my heart turned about" (h); took a circuit, a tour throughout the whole compass of things; looked into every corner, and went through the circle of knowledge, in order to search and find out what true wisdom is; which is no other than Christ, and a spiritual knowledge of him; a variety of words is used to express his eager desire after wisdom, and the diligent search he made, from which he was not discouraged by the difficulties he met with; see Ecc 1:13; and the reason of thin”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:5: Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith,.... These words are to be considered in connection with Co2 13:3 for seeing they sought and demanded a proof the voice and power of Christ in the apostle, he directs them to self examination, to look within themselves, to try, prove, and recognise their own souls; where if things were right, they would find a proof of Christ's speaking in him, to them: he advises them to examine the state of their own souls, and see whether they were in the faith; either in the doctrine of faith, having a spiritual and experimental”
- Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 17:27: That they should seek the Lord--That is the high end of all these arrangements of Divine Power, Wisdom, and Love. if haply they might feel after him--as men groping their way in the dark. and find him--a lively picture of the murky atmosphere of Natural Religion. though he be not far from every one of us--The difficulty of finding God outside the pale of revealed religion lies not in His distance from us, but in our distance from Him through the blinding effect of sin.”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 5:8: I would seek unto God,.... Or "truly" (e), "certainly, doubtless, I do seek unto God", verily I do so; for so the words are introduced in the original text, and express what Eliphaz had done when under afflictions himself; for he was not without them, though he had not them to such a degree as Job had; and when he was under them, this was the course he took; he sought unto God by prayer to support him under them, to sanctify them to him, and to deliver him out of them; and this he proposes for Job's imitation, and suggests, that if he was in his case, this would be the fi”