Explanations for PainSample

Just trust God

I recently read a blog that recounted a powerful scene from the Lord of the Rings. Gandalf, the good wizard, is encouraging Bilbo, his little hobbit friend, to leave behind his powerful magic ring before it corrupts his heart. But Bilbo, under the influence of dark magic, turns on Gandalf, accusing him of trying to steal his ring; he even reaches for his little sword to fight his old friend. That’s when the mighty Gandalf goes off! He towers over the tiny hobbit and threatens, “If you say that again, I shall get angry.” Bilbo snaps out of the ring’s spell, and Gandalf backs down. “I am trying to help you,” the wizard says. “I wish you would trust me, as you used to.”

As the blogger pointed out, this is essentially what happens at the conclusion of Job’s story. “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: ‘Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me’” (Job 40:6,7).

When we are in pain, the question why? is like that magical ring. When we hold on too tightly to it, needing to know why God allowed it (fill in your most painful moment here), it can corrupt our hearts. That’s why God’s savage reply is good for us too. God’s questions are belittling, and that’s the point. God needs us to remember that we are little and he is not.

Then, with compassion in his eyes and pointing to Jesus, your Redeemer, he says, “Trust me, as you used to.”