Sample Discussion: Dad, is it OK for me to ask questions about my faith?

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” —Mark 9:24

Dirt is good. Well, in limited amounts, at least. You see, without getting a little dirty, your body won’t be exposed to germs, and without getting exposed to germs, your immune system won’t get strong, and without a strong immune system, you could get really sick. So, yes, it’s important to wash your hands, but you also need to get them dirty sometimes. Just make sure they don’t stay dirty.

Our hearts are a bit lit like that. We want them to stay clean, of course, but if we don’t expose them to some of what the world believes, they won’t develop the strength to respond to the hard questions when they come. Without that inner strength, those hard questions could destroy our fragile, overprotected faith. 

That’s why we talk about the hard questions people may ask about Christian faith at home, like why we believe Jesus rose from the dead or why we care who gets married. It’s also why I want to encourage you to bring the hard questions you have to me. You’ll never disappoint me with your questions—what will disappoint me is if you hide those questions inside and let them fester without being willing to talk about them.

It’s like the man who asked Jesus to heal his son and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Part of belief is being honest with God about our doubts—so that he can help us through them. Jesus had compassion on this man and fulfilled his request. The Bible is full of people bringing their doubts and questions to God (just read the Psalms or Job), and the Lord is always patient and merciful with them. He’ll do the same for you, and so will I.