The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful

The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful


But Job replied, “You talk like a godless woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job 2:10 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION


In the old days, people would say of Job, “He was a man of patience.” I believe they were almost right. Job was really a man of trust. I am sure my response to the death of my children, financial ruin and a request from my wife to “curse God and die” would not be to “trust God.” But, that indeed was Job’s answer. When tragedy strikes, what is your response?

Many people today think believing in God is an automatic and almost magical protection from hurt and danger. Furthermore, they feel we should always have justice and that life should be mere perfection. But a running theme in Job is (1) we will suffer, (2) we do not have all of the answers to why God allows suffering and (3) whatever the outcome, God should be worshipped because of who He is, not what He supplies.

Of course none of us is looking to suffer, but there is a beauty in the suffering. Faith is the result of a life that incessantly pursues God, in spite of the circumstances. Faith never grows independent of trouble. Some problems we clearly bring on ourselves with poor life choices. Some problems come from attacks of Satan. Some problems come because we are in a fallen world where justice is turned upside down. Because of all those factors, we will have troubles. But, God has an awesome strategy He wants us to follow. . . perseverance! We know that suffering produces perseverance, which leads to character, which leads to hope, which leads to joy (Romans 5:3-4 paraphrased).
Thank you, God for hope!