When God Doesn't Give a Reason

Job 31:35

35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is,
that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine
adversary had written a book.

When we get to heaven we will see the good ending to all things, but sometimes it is difficult to see God's purposes in certain things now. How do we respond when bad things happen to descent people? Job had many calamities rain down on him and he asked many questions like, "what did I do to deserve this?" but even God proclaimed Job had done nothing to deserve his afflictions. God was proud of Job and staked His honor on Jobs reactions to hardships. Job had unwittingly invited the calamities by being an upright and righteous man.

Circumstances are not always just and life isn't fair in our fallen world. Yet Job never cursed God as satan claimed he would. Jobs friends tried to rationalize the problems of Job by trying to pin a sin on him, but they were wrong. It would seem either Job had sinned or God had failed, yet the real reason was hidden in the heavens. Sometimes life gets worse than we expected for us, for our partners or friends and we don't know why. Faith doesn't always get a reason. God's honor may be riding on your reactions to hardships like Job. Our reactions really do matter.

It is easier to deal with the hardships in our lives when we know a reason for the problems, but what do we do when God doesn't give a reason. Job wanted a reason more than the easing of his suffering, but God answers Job and chastises him for challenging God. Try to remember there are chapters in our lives that we do not know yet... Job was greatly blessed after enduring his hardships. Trust God, try not to give Him ultimatums - that doesn't work. Remember God sees the whole glory of our lives even into eternity. If we're not careful we can come to the wrong conclusions like God doesn't care, but He does care and knows more about a persons life and outcomes than we do...

Job 38:1-4

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,
and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words
without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will
demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the
earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

The questions to Job from God go on for 5 chapters - 70 unanswerable questions. God never answered Job's questions, but put Job in his place by pointing out he doesn't have the understanding of God and none of us do.

If there is anything a sufferer needs, it is not an
explanation, but a fresh, new look at God. ~unknown

Todays lesson is very personal to me because I heard a bad story in the news that shook my faith for the past few days and had me asking questions of God similar to Job. The story was of a little 5-year-old girl who was kidnapped by ISIS. She was raped by 100+ men until her insides fell out. Todays lesson from Job has restored my peace and joy in the Lord because we do not know the full story of this little girl and only God knows her full glory in heaven.

Reference: Guest Speaker Pastor Sandy Adams
Calvary Worship Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Sermon

The Grim Reaper Preacher says, "Try reading the Bible from cover to cover - you'll like it."