“Shall
we indeed accept good from God and not accept evil?”
(Job 2:10)
It
is never easy accepting painful circumstances in our lives. Adversity is guaranteed to come and go while we
usually find ourselves kicking and screaming against any of it. The child in us prefers to only live out the
happy ending of a fairy tale. At this
point of life and in my faith, I am confident that the life I have this very
day is the life God has ordained for me.
No matter how difficult things may be, through whatever today brings, I know
it holds an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to overcome. In spite of knowing that, it’s still not easy
to endure suffering and sorrow.
I
have revisited the story of Job multiple times over the past year, and in the
past few days I turned to Job again and found comfort. Job’s question to his wife was brought to my
mind, and I asked it of myself, “Shall I
accept good from God and not accept evil?”
“For my groaning
comes…and my cries pour out like water.
For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am
not at rest, but turmoil comes.”
(Job 3:24-26)
I’ve
had so much joy in my life and countless blessings, why does this human heart
and mind deceive me and tell me that the times of suffering and sorrow have
lasted longer or been greater than the joy and blessings? Have you noticed how moments of happiness
seem to pass by way too fast, while moments of suffering feel like they last an
eternity? Actually, it’s only a matter
of our perception not of the reality. Our mind is really good at playing tricks on
us—especially under duress. We long for that
“fairy tale ending” existence, and we resist and fight against adversity. Could it be that our fight and resistance
against suffering is what makes it seem to last so long? Fun and happy times, when life is going the
way we want it, are easy and enjoyable: “Wheeee!!!” Moments of turmoil, when life is not going
the way we want it, are difficult and challenge us beyond ourselves: “Whoaaa!!!”
If
you were to try to spare the butterfly the struggle of coming out of its hard
chrysalis, you would actually be doing it a great disservice. It is through the struggle of breaking out of
that chrysalis that the butterfly gains the wing strength it needs to fly. Even fairy tales tell the story of trials and
suffering which must be endured and overcome first in order to arrive at the happy ending later. Usually, we want the
happy ending without persevering through the trials or sufferings which
eventually lead us to that happy ending.
When
we face life’s challenges, we may typically respond in some of these different
ways:
we
may resist them,
we
may fight against them,
we
may curse them,
we
may question them,
we
may be paralyzed by them,
we
may pretend they don’t exist, etc.
Yet, when
we face life’s challenges, we can also simply cry out to God:
for
strength,
for
comfort,
for
peace,
for
perseverance,
for acceptance,
for
endurance,
for
hope,
for
direction,
and
wait for Him to provide what He knows we need
in our time of need.
Waiting
on God may feel crazy, too hard, or pointless.
Sometimes, waiting on God feels nearly impossible. This is especially true if we are of the
personality that must take control and action and get things done right away. However, waiting on God never fails us, is
always beneficial, and comes with the most unexpected blessings.
When
I am going through tough times, I tend to go through the many responses I’ve
mentioned above. This past week, I found
myself writing some of the words found in the story of Job.
“Shall I accept
good from God and not accept evil?”
(Job 2:10)
“For my groaning
comes…and my cries pour out like water.
For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am
not at rest, but turmoil comes.”
(Job 3:24-26)
“Call now, is there
anyone who will answer you? And to which
of the holy ones will you turn? For
anger slays the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple…For sorrow does not
grow froth from the soil, and from the ground, misery does not sprout, but
humanity is born to misery, even as sparks of burning coal fly upward. But as for me, I would seek God, and I would
place my cause before God; Who does great and unsearchable things, wonders
without number. He gives rain on the
earth and sends water on the fields, so that He sets on high those who are
lowly and those who mourn are lifted to safety.” (Job 5:1-2, 6-11)
“But as for me, I
would seek God, and I would place my cause before God; Who does great and
unsearchable things, wonders without number.”
(Job 4:8-9)
As
I performed the action of reading and pondering those words and writing them in
my journal, I was comforted. As I
thought upon the One “Who does great and
unsearchable things, wonders without number” I was refilled with hope for
another day and reassured of His ultimate victory over all the wrongs that take
place on this earth every day.
In
Him, I am strengthened to endure and persevere.
In Him, I hope and trust.
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