Surely You Know

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

Job 42:1–6 NIV

Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Why do bad things happen to good people?

It’s one of the oldest questions. It can be a painful one. It’s hard to suffer. It’s hard to watch others suffer. We just want it to go away yesterday. This can lead us to ask other questions.

Is God good?

Could a good God allow suffering? We want to imagine a reality where nothing bad ever happens. We think we know better how God could have made the world. It’s ok to ask these questions, but it’s not very helpful to camp out here. First of all, we must find a way to cope with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.

Secondly, if we are going to put God on trial it’s best to look at all God has done. Did God just sit back in heaven and ignore the pain and suffering of the world? Or did God make a stunning choice to send his own Son into the world to embrace our suffering, to take on death in the grave, to defeat sin on the cross, to win the ultimate victory in the resurrection?

Jesus resolved the problem of evil on the cross.

Jesus suffered just like we do. Even more. So maybe Jesus earned the right for us to turn our questions just bit. In the midst of our pain what options do we have?

How can I resolve the pain of life and death?

Job worked through it by staying with the conversation throughout the trial. As human beings we struggle to rise above our immediate impressions. But there is a higher perspective. It’s available to all of us to look beyond ourselves. But we seem to be better able to understand it when we go through trials. Wisdom is gained in that process, if we let it happen.

1. There is a God and you’re not him.

So ultimately you don’t have to figure it all out. You’re not in charge. The sooner we admit these things the better it is for us. Surrender is not defeat in this context. It may be the beginning of victory. It’s definitely the beginning of true peace of mind and well being.

2. You can choose how to respond to the questions and doubts.

How you respond makes all the difference. You don’t have to take the typical route. You don’t have to become bitter and stay there. Keep talking to God. Keep seeking the community of faith. Don’t feed your doubts only. Don’t listen to the most negative voices. Job’s friends had all the worst advice so yours probably will, too. But Job was working out a real relationship with God. Job was trying to write a true love song. But Job lost track of the music, the tune. But he knew enough to keep searching for it.

4. Know what you don’t know. You can ask anything. But better questions get better answers.

The why questions may never get fully answered. It’s ok to ask them but God doesn’t have to explain why. Maybe the only why is that sin and death are still our enemies. But the What and the What Now questions are better. What’s going on? I’m being put to the test by suffering or injustice. What Now? I cry out to God and lean on God’s grace and God is with me. God went to a lot of trouble to be with us in our pain. Jesus took it all on himself. So he’s fully qualified to minister to us in our times of trial.

3. Faith isn’t finding definitive answers to narrow questions. Faith is learning to trust in the goodness of God.

Job 42:5–6 NIV

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

As long as we look at life as our big test for God and other people, we may be disappointed. God, you’re letting me down. Friends, you’re letting me down. Ask yourself if it’s improving your mood to notice where all your expectations aren’t being met… Ask yourself if that’s the best way to respond. I think you’ll find it’s not helping. As long as God and friends are vendors providing you with services you can keep them at arms length and gossip about them.

But if you’ll stop to breathe in the grace in every moment you’ll see something. Maybe God has placed the people in your life that you need right now. One thing’s for sure, God is who you need in your life. Instead of inspecting his actions, remember his love for you. Realize that he’s here now.

The suffering you are going through is an opportunity. You can use it to pick apart everyone around you and isolate yourself talking about them. Or, you can use it to open yourself to God’s family. You can use it to lean in with God like never before. You can be like Job.

Go from knowing ABOUT God to learning to SEE God. To really knowing God.

Job made that journey from head through the heart to the gut. He didn’t just believe God existed as a set of ideas to be debated.

Can you let your knowledge of God progress from ideas with benefits to a deep transforming relationship of trust?

It left his simplistic friends baffled. But it made all the difference for him.

Trust the One who knows

When you don’t have all the answers go back to what you know for sure. God believes in you no matter what. He formed you from the dust. He’s always been in your life. He will carry you through your darkest hour. He knows what he’s doing. Let him be God. Give your pain to Jesus.

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