Job 40:2 is the proposition I brought to the table when I wrote the Bible study, Psalm 73 - Sight; Perspective Altering. "The LORD said, ... 'Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?'"
Job is suffering. He is questioning God's reasons for this suffering. Job's implication is something similar to, "I'm a good and godly man. Good and godly men don't have bad stuff happen to them." Job argues against the accusations from his "friends" that contradict what he knows about his godly character. Then Job delineates the evidence of his life's work to prove he's innocent of this massive destruction he's experiencing. After all, we all wonder, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Job's answer, before God speaks, is 'bad things shouldn't.' That is probably what we'd all wish.
It is only true if, from our human perspective, we define what's good and bad. For many, they think from a limited viewpoint that only good things make us better, "good and godly people." We'd all say, "Yep, that's true." We'd all be wrong on that viewpoint. We'd tread on dangerous ground. Will you or I argue with God about how He should run the Universe? I'll condescend to my lane and invite you to yours.
God begins to answer Job's misplaced concepts by describing how creation was made and then how He set limits on the various elements of the earth. Then He challenged Job to stand Creator to creature with Him and try doing what ONLY GOD can do. Job bows out and recognizes he's spoken too much already.
Job is not the only one who's been challenged to shut his mouth, after challenging God's purposes and choices to do what He Sovereignly decides. Asaph, Jonah, Jeremiah, and others have purported that God must have missed it for allowing the things that were happening or what He called them to do. Jonah challenged God's goodness in showing mercy to those Jonah saw as his enemies. He reveals how skewed our choices would be. Our way of running things would focus on our self-preservation and what makes us happy. Hint: God is refining a holy people. Happy may happen but it's not the goal.
I was once at a Bible study and a lady was sharing something she was going through that was hurting her deeply. My heart went out to her. I hate to see people hurt, or myself hurt. However, for followers of Jesus, I see our hurt through the hands of a God who sets limits and works things for His glory and our good. As she was sharing she decried her situation, "Why me? I cannot understand what I did to deserve this?" The other ladies commiserated with her, "I don't understand either." "Why should any of us go through these things?" My heart stirred within and as compassionately as I could I asked, "Why not you?" "Why not any of us?" "If you could pass on what you're going through to a friend or loved one would you choose them or yourself to face what it is?" I continued, "In our selfishness, we'd choose an enemy, but you must choose someone you care about or yourself?" The ladies were appalled that I'd interrupted their "pity-party" and brought them back to reality. I did care about what hurt her and her suffering. Yet the perspective that she and the ladies held took their eyes off Jesus and made themselves the center of their worship. Worship that puts Jesus as the focus is the right answer for all that ails us. It keeps us focused on God's purpose, even when all we know is "GOD ONLY GIVES GOOD GIFTS TO HIS CHILDREN!" The good may not be what we are going through. The good gift can be what He's creating in us, the image of His Son.
I was simply asking, "Do you want to argue with the Almighty? " It would be better to hold each other with tears and worship together, and pray for what God is doing in each other's life to magnify His Name and fortify our character. A couple of days later, the Sister who was struggling called me and said, "At first I was angry with you. As the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart a boldness stirred in me that said, 'Yes, Lord, why not me? Why shouldn't you trust me with this?'" She went in to tell me how her mindset changed. She went on to say people around her were astonished. She was able to share the hope she had in Jesus.
God doesn't stop His challenge of Job's viewpoint there. He utters the question, "Will you discredit my Justice and condemn me just to prove you are right?" The aforementioned men wrestled with this question. We too, must consider if this is where we are landing when we question our deserving of particular circumstances that enter our lives. Our God does nothing that is not JUST. He cannot deny His character. We don't understand the dynamics of all of that. This is why God condescends to reveal His goodness, Justice, mercy, and righteousness to us throughout the Scriptures. As we read God's Word we see others suffer and how God rescued them. We see God's discipline. We see God's judgment, compassion, anger, and grace replete on the pages, and then in our lives.
The interesting thing, God does not answer Job's direct questions. Whoever wrote the book was told the beginning of the story. Good, blameless, and righteous people suffer. The qualifications for suffering are that we are alive. The reasons, though, vary. An exhaustive study on suffering/trials would bring more clarity. I dig into trials in the study of Psalm 73 and some of the reasons for suffering. Job's reason are made clear in Chapter 1&2, it was God's invitation to Satan to prove even when we suffer, God's children will stand!
Job is not alone in wondering, "Why do good people suffer?" In Job 40 God teaches us to be careful how far we go with our questions and presumptions over the answer, especially when we get into an area that impugned God's character. We never want to go to a place where we become God's critic. We are those who stand under the pressure, in worship, repentance, and in the power of His Might! Lessons from the life of Job. We can learn so much about God, good and righteous things.
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