Why Do We Search for Answers When God's Word is Enough

Last night I attended a Bible study and afterwards sat down to enjoy some company with friends. All four of us come from different backgrounds and different denominations, but we all come together to celebrate the thing we share in common: worshiping God. A man sat down with my friends and I and as our conversation progressed, he told us that he does not believe speaking in tongues is real. Immediately afterwards, my friend spoke something not comprehendible by any language. She spoke in tongues. The man asked what she said, and she replied that she didn’t know but that as Christians, we can ask the Holy Spirit for interpretation or to have it revealed to us. At this point, the conversation began to get heated. The man stated that he believed speaking in tongues happened “back in the day when crazy things were happening like turning water to wine and splitting oceans.” He went on to say that he didn’t think Intercession, speaking in tongues or healing is capable by human beings. My friends and I rebutted that the God gives everyone talents and gifts, and he does not enable us to do these things but does them through us. We are merely vehicles for God’s use. Although none of these things have occurred through me, I believe they do happen since I’ve seen many around me experience these gifts.

This conversation brought many things to mind. The first was the man’s comment about these things happening “back in the day.” So often I hear people make this comment. What people don’t realize is that God performs miracles every day. They may not be as big as splitting an ocean, but trust me, miracles happen. Just like I don’t believe coincidences- I feel God lines up two events or two people to benefit each other. How do we know that speaking in tongues is true if we don’t understand? My theory is that the person speaking in tongues may not know what they are saying, but maybe the person sitting beside them hear it as comprehendible words, and it was an encouragement that they needed to hear. The person speaking in tongues was simply a vehicle for God’s message.