The book of Job describes intimately the depth of suffering that could befall on a good and up righteous servant of God for no apparent reason. Job is blameless, and good in God's eyes, but his friends do not understand the reason for God's neglect of Job. Why does Job suffer, if not because he is wicked and sinful? All they can do is console Job poorly by claiming that God only punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous. "Think now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?" (Job 4:7) I can think of many times, Eliphaz. Recently our nation suffered through several occasions of heavy violence--the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary being one. What wicked thing could those innocent children be blamed with? The answer is that they were blameless, and yet they suffered, as well as their family. Most of the time we tend to blame sinful events on the "bad" people. However, we all sin--even with the example of Jesus to follow we tend to stray from the path of righteousness. We are not blameless or as dedicated as Job in his faith.
Yet, even though Job felt the walk he shared with God was good, and he had not erred in God's commandments, his friends argued against his claims of blamelessness. Sometimes our friends can also be an obstacle in our walk with God. When we find ourselves in a difficult situation that we do not understand, our friends might try reasoning the circumstances. "Have you been going to church enough? You must not be praying enough. If you REALLY believed in God's absolute power, he would heal you completely."
I heard that last one when my kidneys failed, and it bothered me. I know it was said by someone who was indeed faithful and most assuredly up right in the Lord, but it was still a sucker punch. At the age of 36 my kidneys had failed me, and everyone wanted to know why it had happened. What did I do to bring this trial on myself? I must have done something terribly wrong in order for me to go into renal failure. If I TRULY believed in the power of God I could be healed. I don't agree with such simplistic logic. God did heal me--He gave me something more valuable than a perfectly restored physical body. He healed my fractured soul, and took away the bitterness that had been taking refuge in my heart. Instead of looking at all that had been lost, I was given the gift of sight. True love found me and extended to include my family. I lost a son, but gained a beautiful, intelligent, and artistic miracle of a daughter. My father passed away, and our loss was great. But his gain was infinite--he was going to attain the wisdom that escapes us in our physical presence; the knowledge he sought his entire life. My father also left with me some valuable traits--the love of history, especially that of our family, and a stubborn spirit to challenge whatever comes my way. Sometimes being stubborn can be negative, but when applied in the positive it is precious.
Job was stubborn--even his "wise" friends could not convince him that he was wicked, and therefore aptly punished. "Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.(Job 34:12) It is not until God answers Job with a series of questions that humbles Job as well as satisfies him as to the depth of God's omniscience and power. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding." (Job 38:4) In the face of all that God has done and the responsibility of all living things and the environment Job realizes that he has no right to question the plans of God.
Who am I then, to question the power and plan of God? The terrible tragedies that we see in our lives, as well as the everyday struggles that we face cannot be made sense of. How can anyone set the perimeters of God's intercession in all things? God is in everything--the good and hopeful in our lives as well as the terrible and heart-breaking. We must accept that God's plan for us is all-encompassing and interwoven with each other. The choices that we make in our faith are the center of our relationship with God. Choose to be bitter about the struggles in your life and you choose to step away from a loving relationship with God. If we cling to God through both good and bad times in our lives, we are given the realization of a true and deep love that holds us up through all of the difficult times.
God gave me such a gift when my kidneys failed my body. He has shown me that with his strength and love I can fight the good fight. I can thank him for the joys that bring me internal peace--the love of my family and friends, the fellowship of my family in faith, and the stress-relieving ability to push my physical body to become stronger every day I am given. Every breath I take each day is a blessing and a chance to gain a more personal relationship with my Savior each day. The knowledge of the depth of God's love is incomprehensible, but what part I can understand will carry me through all the days of my life.
I pray that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be
strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpassesknowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-20)
