Finding God's Goodness When Life Hurts预览

If you were to sit back and contemplate all that Job suffered in the space of just a few short hours, it would be easy to not blame him if he had lost it and unloaded on God. It is not hard to imagine Job collapsing, falling on the ground, and crying out to God, asking, “Why?” Surely, he would say that it was not fair. Surely he would blame God for bringing great pain and anguish into his life.

But Job did fall on the ground—not to blame God, but to praise Him! He then uttered these famous words: Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 1:21)

You see, what Job did not know was that Satan was accusing him of only praising God when things were good. But God knew Job better than the Devil did. God did allow the Wicked One to bring tragedy and loss upon Job. But do not ever blame God for evil. It was Satan, not God, who did these things.

This verse says it well: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. (James 1:13)

Let me be clear. If anyone or anything was to blame for Job’s calamities, it was Satan and sin. God is good. Job was correct in giving Him praise, not blame.

There is a principle in life: God can take what Satan and sin intend for evil and turn the situation into good. In Job’s case, God allowed these terrible things to fall upon him so that Job would show the old Devil that his love for God was not because of the things he had been given, but because he simply loved and feared God for Who He was.

God held the Devil within certain parameters. Initially, he could not touch Job. That shows God’s goodness. Another thing that shows God’s goodness is that God gave Job twice as much as he had before.

This story illustrates two things to me:

1. God is not the author of evil.
2. We cannot always see the big picture.

Job had no idea of what had gone on between God and Satan.

Job did not know that this was a test allowed by the God Who loved him.

Many times, we might never be able to get all the facts. There are things that might have happened behind the scenes that we will not know or understand until much later.

Are you struggling today with a painful trial or burden? Know that the very God Who made you loves you and is walking through this trial with you. Take some time today to remember all the good that He has done in your life and praise Him for it.