The short answer is yes.  However, your actual question matters . . . a lot.

The difference is the tone of your question – Are you questioning God or are you asking God a question?

Let me explain. In Luke chapter 1 we find two characters, Zachariah and Mary.  Both have had an encounter with an angel of God. Both were told they were going to experience something miraculous.  Both questioned God.

Mary, however, was praised for her faith and Zachariah was punished because of his question.  In fact, God didn’t like his question so much that He took away his ability to speak for a time!  That’ll stop him from asking faithless questions!  Seems pretty intense if you ask me.

So, what’s the difference?

Zachariah forgot who was speaking.

Imagine this – you’re in church worshiping the Lord and an angel appears to you and gives you a word from the Lord.  I’m not talking about you think you hear from God in your head.  No, the angel is literally right in front of you.  We know this is what happened to Zachariah because scripture says “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him . . . and [he] was gripped with fear (Luke 1:11-12).”

Zachariah saw the angel.  Zachariah was talking with the angel.  However, after the angel gave Zachariah the news of a son, he asked “how shall I know this?”  Other translations write, “how can I be sure of this?”

Zachariah’s question showed a lack of faith.

A lack of faith appears when you don’t believe the person speaking can actually deliver.

Gabriel clearly gets offended and answers, “I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God (Luke 1:19).”  Essentially, Gabriel is telling Zachariah, clearly you don’t know who I am.  Clearly you don’t know what God can do!

We might not encounter an actual angel, like Zachariah.  But, God’s Word is pretty clear on many things. 

Instead of being like Zachariah, may we be like Mary as we question what we hear and read.

Mary’s question was spurred by faith.

See, her experience was very similar to Zachariah’s.  Scripture tells us that when Mary saw the angel she was troubled.  The angel told Mary “do not be afraid” just as he had told Zachariah.  The key difference between her story and Zachariah’s is her question.

Instead of asking how will I know this will happen, Mary asks “how can this be (Luke 1:34).”

Mary does not forgot who she is talking to.  Instead, she believes the messenger, she just doesn’t understand the how.  I love this because it shows us that faith and confusion can co-exist.  

Mary believes God.  Her confusion did not lead to disbelief.  Instead, her confusion made her curious.

May our confusion lead to curiosity instead of disbelief.

May we always hold room for God’s way and His word, especially when we do not understand.