The power of a question

Fortunately, Nutella needs no questions.  Bliss in a jar. :-)

I vividly recall sitting in church about a year ago. I was on a back row by myself (John was playing on the worship team), not in the mood to be around people, dealing with some sort of struggles (who isn't?); and I was feeling mightily annoyed that my husband felt obliged to be there every dadgum Sunday of the year.

Sunshine and light, I was not.

Suddenly a question was posed in my mind:  Are you not fortunate and privileged to worship where, when, and whom you please?

{contemplation, introspection, prayer}

You can imagine how the service ended.  It ended well.

I've been thinking about the power of questions lately and the life-altering usefulness they've served life. Just last night, I was walking dogs with my neighbor, Kris, and we talked about our kids getting older. She has a crazy schedule juggling a full-time job, a 6th grader, a high school senior, and a son in graduate school.  Not to mention trying to train for the Austin Distance Challenge.  She said she asked herself recently, "Will you prefer it when the kids are grown and out of the house?"

I've found questions to be so useful, I've made a conscious decision to try, T-R-Y to use them in circumstances where I find myself feeling burdened, superior, or finger-pointy (which is all too often).  Man, those questions have called me out.

"You think a few B I L L I O N people would like to trade places with you?"

"Under the same circumstances, how would you have behaved?"

"Fallen short much?"

Have questions cured my world-class ability to judge, compare, complain, or wallow? (See, that's a good question.) Um, no. I still fall short, but they help.

People talk about "finding the right answers", but I'd venture to say there's plenty of good to be gleaned from finding the right questions.  If you're like me, I often know the answer; it's the question that I need.

Can I bring this back to running?  I sure can.  Because as I've said before, a marathon is a lot like life. These are the things I have to ask myself on a weekly basis:

"Who's going to train for this race if not you?"

"What is your purpose in training for the marathon?"

"Your hip is hurt, and you're devoid of sleep.  Who wishes they could move their legs and have your problems?"

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ~ Jesus