Here, in no particular order, are 10 questions [for God, for others and for myself] that I should be asking more often than I do:
1. Lord, what is your desire for me?
2. Lord, where can I serve you today?
3. How can I help?
4. What do you think about…?
5. Have I understood you properly?
6. Do you have any questions?
7. Am I talking too much?
8. Is there anything you need?
9. What can I do better?
10. What am I going to do with “my one wild and precious life”?
Hmm. As Simon often reminds us, these are simple things that are hard (for me) to do.
What obvious questions have I left out?
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{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
Since I fear 7 is my biggest challenge, what this has me thinking about are what 10 questions Jesus might ask me…
I would need to add “Would you help me with….?” to the list. Sometimes I don’t trust that grace is sufficient.
…I would need to add “Would you help me with….?” – yep
I would add more but I too fall to #7
Michelle,
As I take a quick look at all the comments, I see that #7 is a biggie for several of us. It’s one of my biggest downfalls. But I also very much like the question you’ve added.
Paul
Michelle,
I often say, “Lord, can you just help me shut up!!” But I think to some extent I entertain him too much….:).
That’s a good list and I am with Michelle in that I worry that #7 is my greatest concern. I also have a question for Jesus: Jesus, how do I let go and surrender all to you without taking it back again?
One of my favourite prayers, “In the Hands of God”, was written by Pedro Arrupe, S.J. and I will only quote the last two lines:
“It is indeed a profound spiritual experience
to know and feel myself so totally in God’s hands.”
I believe that surrendering totally to God results in true freedom
Lynda,
I had the joy, as a very young Jesuit, to meet Pedro Arrupe. He was one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever encountered.
Paul
My Spiritual Director also met him as a young Jesuit and he would agree with your comment. He was very pleased when I came across “In the Hands of God” and was so inspired by the prayer. I pray it every day.
Great questions and great comments. Thank you for mentioning Arrupe’s prayer. I will check it out. Worried about coming medical exams, the only thing I want to do at the moment, is to curl up against Godde and not move from there. The questions will come afterwards.
Claire,
You are in my prayers as you prepare for these exams. I love your image of curling up against God.
Paul
Claire, that is a very familiar image…it is such a wonderful place to be. My prayers are with you.
Thank you both
Thank you.
Claire, you are in my prayers as well. I also like your image of curling “up against Godde” as it puts into words what I do at times and isnt’ that what God wants us to do?
I have to think a bit on this, but tho ‘ not a question so much as a request which also is a prayer that’s on your PFO favorites posts : “Teach me to LISTEN.” I pray for that one simple gift. If only I could “Be still and know” then I’d have no further questions. I do think that number 6 is a strange thing to ask our Lord! Omniscience and all…….kinds. funny coming from a priest
What question could God possibly not have an answer top? Silly! He/She knows the name of every star in all of the universe!
BTW….anyone read “How Big Is Your God?” Excellent inspirational book!
Emma,
I should have made it clearer that some of the questions were for God, some for other people and some for myself. Having said that, is asking if God has any questions for me such a strange thing?
Paul
See. I told you
“Teach me to listen” 
I just get so fired up that I can’t contain myself!!! (even when I’m half asleep, sleep is lacking these days, guests from south of the border and a little one that’s not prone to sleeping. Another insomniac! 
) But, the book that I mentioned: “How Big is Your God? The Freedom to Experience the Divine”. The author is a Jesuit Priest, Father Coutinho, Indian. That man writes of God the way I thought of God, BEFORE I got “religious”……………..Uncontainable, Indescribable, All Powerful. That has put me back where I started. Before Catechism, before doctrine, etc. and what came to mind is that we can know doctrine and still not know God. Brightest Blessings!!! 
Paul made me read that book Emma, and I have yet to thank him. It will come when I know how.
Once again typos! Dumb Kindle wants to do my thinking for me.Just goes to show, the human brain still reigns over the artificial intelligence
Night all and sweet peace filled dreams.
Emma,
The Kindle may be dumb but it is also an amazing piece of technology. I would be lost without it.
Paul
Great stuff!! Thank you.
Just two thoughts, variations of #2 and #7 – what do you want me to do today? and, Lord, am I a good listener?
Bob,
Love variations on a theme. Thank you.
Paul
They are simple questions but as I got the the end, I read the Mary Oliver line and thought how irrelevant a question that is for millions who have absolutely no choice. If one has a choice that is a gift from God. All over the world and ‘even’ in the so-called developed world there are people that we probably know to speak to who have no choice. So, I suppose, as a supplementary question to #5; “that really can’t be what You planned? Do you mind explaining it one more time?”
Simon,
I’m not really sure that I’ve understood what you’re asking me so, if I’ve missed the mark, could you please clarify the question for me?
What I think you’re asking is: How can we talk about choosing what to do with “our one wild and precious life” when many people have no choice at all?
If that is your question, it’s a darned good one. And I would respond that each and every one of us has some amount of freedom. Those imprisoned (spatially, by illness, by infirmity, by addiction, by poverty, by powerlessness…) retain the ability to choose how to react to their situations and how to deal with the realities they are facing.
The example that springs to mind is a friend who had a pretty severe stroke last year which left him speechless and paralyzed down the left side of his body. What was remarkable to me about him was that he never complained about his situation, was unfailingly grateful for the help he received at the hospital and in rehab. He accepted his lot and made the very best of it. He chose what to do with his “one wild and precious life” and he will have my complete admiration for that choice. I can’t say that I would have been able to be so positive.
Paul
That’s all well and good, Paul. But, the person who’s only marginally existing does not have the luxury. The person living on the streets often does not have friends to comfort them. The family living in humble circumstances, eeking out survival who is suddenly blown to pieces by a cluster bomb or an errant drone strike isn’t given the opportunity to come to terms with their circumstances. That said, that is NOT God! That is human hands. This word seems to be very unpopular in today’s culture, (almost as unpopular as God), but that is evil. BTW………heralded in our local papers as a great advancement: we now have little mini 2 ft. drones that can be carried into battle! Isn’t that quite a human accomplishment!!! We can now kill and choose our targets more precisely, perhaps eliminating some of the “collateral damage”. Not even people, just “collateral damage”. And, the majority of the populace, doesn’t have the time to retreat and they don’t have the time to pray for hours. They’re not surrounded by like minded souls, but contrarily, are overworked (if they’re working), underpaid and considered nothing more than commodities. That’s the world we have. OTOH………..we have all been given, by right of birth into God’s family, the power to change this world. That’s where God is in all of this. He’s calling us to action. We can’t stand in silence, wringing our hands and asking “why?” The “why” is that we are called to bring the Living Body of Christ out into these situations and make a change. It starts with us.
When I made the Exercises, my wise and wonderful director shared some pieces of “The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times” by Dean Brackley, tackles what it means to be free, to choose God, even in the midst of the undeniably, unimaginably terrible.
The snippet that struck me to the heart on the Exercises — an image so potent of faith by choice, faith in circumstance unchosen, faith as pure gift of God, that almost four years later I can’t let go of it — was the statement by a mother about the awful freedom she had: “Mire (look!)! When you’ve hunted for your children among piles of corpses, you are no longer afraid.”
Then the choice becomes, Do I pick up a weapon and seek revenge or do I work for peace in an effort to ensure that another mother is not placed in the position of searching through piles of corpses for her children?
Yes, there are life experiences which do much to eliminate fear.
Apologies, I wasn’t asking anyone in particular to answer the question I posed. It was a rhetorical one but I thought that example you cited was more about responding to a certain course of events than a choice. It is more about reaction than action. Looking for God in everything, even the stroke. Anyway, just saying….
I got you Simon, and I think it was really good food for thought for everyone! Look at that.
Great questions with which to begin the day, as I prepare to conduct a funeral service for a beloved family matriarch. Thank you.
Robin,
I hope and pray that you found consoling words to say to her family.
Paul
Maybe a post on how to hear God answer these questions? How does God respond? In a still small voice, through other people or in intuition? ect, ect, ect…..
Stephen,
I don’t think I meant God to answer all these questions (some were for others and some were for myself.) But I always love being given ideas for blog posts. Thank you!
Paul
Terrific questions! I need #7 quite often. Am learning , after all these years that, less is more when it comes to talking.
Barbara,
One of my more charitable friends has told me, “Paul, you’re a strong storyteller.” I think he was telling me to shut up and listen more!
Paul
Lately I have had the urge to ask…
May I pray with/for you and your family?
Maura,
Good one!
Paul
Oh — that is good, Maura. It takes courage and generosty to ask that one. Well done you! And thanks for sharing it.
And almost forgot my favorite question…
Tell me about yourself and where you come from?
Maura,
Equally good!
Paul
I love learning about where people come from litterally and experiencially. It is like filling in a mental map in my mind.
Ok I read mental map and I think you are all going to think I’m mental.
What I am imagining it the universe as one of those early maps where there are wild undiscovered places charted as the “unknown” I feel like as I come to know people that unknown becomes populated with people more of the univers becomes “real” even though all of their mysteries may not yet have been discovered
Oh bother that probably still sounds strange !-)
I have the card hanging over my desk with a possible addition: How are you doing now?
Great list!
Denise,
I need to look harder when I come to your office!
Paul
Definitely I’m numero 7! I know I’ve stepped outside the loop here but what sprang to mind is a Dennis Thatcher quote (for those who don’t know he was married to our then Prime Minister; Margaret Thatcher):
“Better to be thought a fool and keep silent, than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.”
I KNOW I SHOULD LISTEN MORE! Perhaps I should repeat like a mantra.
Katy,
Congratulations. When I started this blog, I never imagined in a million years that Dennis Thatcher would get mentioned on these pages! Thank you.
Paul
The one one I need to add to your list to make it my own is
Where is God in all of this? (whatever “all of this” happens to be at the moment.) Its not so different from your #1 & #2, but that’s the phrase that helps me focus and calm down when I need it most.
I also need to ask more follow up questions, — like your #9 — of God and others. Stuff like — “Was that helpful?” or “What did I do (or we do) that went well?”
And I have a feeling my teenagers would day I shoud add something like
“Have I let my family know today that I love them? When? How?” And then go back to #9.
Denise,
“Where is God in all of this?” is a wonderful question. Thank you.
Paul
Very thought provoking. Today I have been preoccupied with something I really, really want. Even earlier tonight I caught myself praying, “please God, I really want this…” and then heard, “God’s will be done.” Caught my breath and reminded me that I don’t know the answers. Then reading your post helps me think a step further about what actually are the questions; mine and God’s. Thank you.
Kim,
My very great pleasure.
Paul
I never replied earlier, but what a great thread and post… And um- #7 for me, truly!
You are in good company Fran!
Fran & Annette,
We are all partners in crime. And I suspect we’re not the only ones!
Paul
There are days when I literally walk around muttering, “what do you want me to do, God??” and then there are days when I don’t really want to know. Then when I am confronted with something, it is “really?? You sure about that??” Honestly, if a camera followed me there would be plenty of evidence to question my mental stability but no one would have to question who I rely on in the end.
What a great list Paul, and I think #9 plagues me because I am sure the answer is everything!
And I can add another, “Why do I feel the need to make a yeast bread, again??”
Annette,
Don’t let any of the questions “plague” you. If they do, it’s not the best way forward.
Like you, there are days (weeks, months and years) when I don’t really want to know what God wants of me. Shame on me.
Paul
I see that my RevGal friend Mary Beth has linked to this on FB.