Questions are often invitations to intimacy, to a conversation that can eventually lead to something better than answers: understanding. Answers that come before questions are not helpful. Being told what to feel, or lectured on what to think, is far less helpful than the freedom to gain understanding. But most of us experienced the opposite. Growing up, we were told what to think and feel rather than encouraged to share what we thought or felt. Few of us were invited to explore life’s effect on our heart by someone who wanted to help us through, as opposed to pushing and pulling us through life’s difficult moments. Exploration is how perspective and wisdom are gained. If your story didn’t allow for you to think and feel, to question and explore, then the explorer stage is a place God will want to work with you on in recovering your masculine heart.
Have you noticed that Jesus asked questions all the time? The King of kings’ style was to ask questions and, many times, to answer a question with a question. Pastor and author Martin B. Copenhaven observed that in the Gospels, Jesus was asked 183 questions but directly answered only three. Three! What do you make of that? It’s unfathomable to think the Messiah didn’t know the answer or at least have a strong opinion. But maybe he valued the dialog. Maybe he wanted a heart to discover the truth for itself, feel it, take it in.
In order to go with God into your story, you need to be ready for inquiry and dialog. For invitations to intimacy that lead to perspective and understanding—and likely, to repentance, confession, and forgiveness. This is how stories are redeemed, men are restored, and the glory of their lives is uncovered.
