Looking Through Job’s Eyes (2)
Why do things happen the way they happen in life? And especially, why do bad things happen to good people? The book of Job pokes around on this historic question that we sometimes have too. Here are some of the “why” questions that are asked in Job:
Why didn’t I just die when I was born if life was going to be this bad? (3:11-12)
Why is someone enlightened only to then have misery? (3:20, 23)
Why has God made me a target for punishment? (7:20)
If I have offended God by some sin, why doesn’t He pardon me? (7:21)
If I am guilty, why should I try to make myself innocent? (9:29)
Why doesn’t God tell us when judgment will come? Why must the righteous wait for justice? (24:1)
“Why?” isn’t always the right question. It’s probably natural for us to ask these kinds of “why” questions. We want to understand. The problem is that sometimes we insist on understanding. True faith really shines when we do not understand why, but we remain faithful – we trust God – anyway. Jobe does not understand why he suffers, but “In all this, Job did not sin in what he said” (2:10). True faith says to God, “Whatever happens, whether I understand why or not, I will do what is right in Your sight.” This isn’t easy, especially with some of the garbage that Satan and the world throws at us, but it is right! God is worthy of our trust.
When God speaks, listen. After a lot of discussion and questioning without resolution, God finally speaks to Job in chapter 38. God’s answer is two chapters of questions which show Job’s inadequacies and God’s majesty and power. Job responds, “I am unworthy – how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more” (40:4). When God’s answers to our questions feel inadequate we need to remember who we are and who He is. Are we insisting that we understand everything God understands? When we accept that God is God and we are not we are well on our way to true faith – trusting God when we understand and when we don’t.
Confess the obvious. In the end, Job says to God, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted… My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (42:1-6). This is the kind of confession which really prepares hearts to fully serve the Lord – no matter what happens in life! dd