Suffering Has a Purpose
Most of us tend to have this idea that since God is sovereign, He's supposed to make everything work out perfectly. Nothing is supposed to touch us as long as we're walking with Him.
This is the very problem that leads many Christians to despair when they go through trials. They can't imagine how God could ever let anything bad happen to them. They turn His sovereignty into a magic genie that's supposed to push all problems, trials, difficulties, and irritations away the moment we say "Go!" As a result, when we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of terrible circumstances, we crumble, blame God, and accuse Him of not caring, not being just, not acting in a loving manner, not having our best interests in mind.
We must come back to the truth that while God is in absolute control of all life, He is not the cause of all life's mishaps. Rather, His plan allows those mishaps for the great purpose of raising up "many brethren conformed to the image of Christ" (Romans 8:29)
Job's trial exposed this important misinterpretation on Job's part. . . He couldn't understand how God could allow these things to continue - let alone happen. . . We can all identify with Job. . . The reason we see things this way is because we don't understand how God thinks; we can't comprehend the nature of His wisdom."His thoughts are not our thoughts; His ways are not our ways," said Isaiah (55:8). When we're new in the faith, or immature, we tend to think that God will always do what is best for us. Indeed, He will. But what we think is best and what He does are as different as whipped cream and concrete. We think He'll make us happy. In effect, we envision these warm, fuzzy feelings. But He plans to make us holy. That often calls for plenty of knocks and raps. . .
Job's problem was just like ours. We have one plan and God has another. But God's plan is the one that will be put into operation. And when those plans turn into real life circumstances, we can feel as though we've been drawn, quartered,and fed to the crows.
But it's through gaining God's perspective that we begin to see true wisdom. That was what God was bringing Job to understand.
-From When God Seems Far Away by Mark Littleton; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
If we are God's children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory. The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us. -Romans 8:17-18
This is the very problem that leads many Christians to despair when they go through trials. They can't imagine how God could ever let anything bad happen to them. They turn His sovereignty into a magic genie that's supposed to push all problems, trials, difficulties, and irritations away the moment we say "Go!" As a result, when we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of terrible circumstances, we crumble, blame God, and accuse Him of not caring, not being just, not acting in a loving manner, not having our best interests in mind.
We must come back to the truth that while God is in absolute control of all life, He is not the cause of all life's mishaps. Rather, His plan allows those mishaps for the great purpose of raising up "many brethren conformed to the image of Christ" (Romans 8:29)
Job's trial exposed this important misinterpretation on Job's part. . . He couldn't understand how God could allow these things to continue - let alone happen. . . We can all identify with Job. . . The reason we see things this way is because we don't understand how God thinks; we can't comprehend the nature of His wisdom."His thoughts are not our thoughts; His ways are not our ways," said Isaiah (55:8). When we're new in the faith, or immature, we tend to think that God will always do what is best for us. Indeed, He will. But what we think is best and what He does are as different as whipped cream and concrete. We think He'll make us happy. In effect, we envision these warm, fuzzy feelings. But He plans to make us holy. That often calls for plenty of knocks and raps. . .
Job's problem was just like ours. We have one plan and God has another. But God's plan is the one that will be put into operation. And when those plans turn into real life circumstances, we can feel as though we've been drawn, quartered,and fed to the crows.
But it's through gaining God's perspective that we begin to see true wisdom. That was what God was bringing Job to understand.
-From When God Seems Far Away by Mark Littleton; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
If we are God's children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory. The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us. -Romans 8:17-18
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