“I do not see Him . . but God knows the way that I take.” Job 23:10 NIV
“Bad things can happen to good people, and good things happen to people undeserving.”
My thoughts today are ask, “why me?”
Do you ever feel like nobody really understands where you’re walking right now, or what you are going through? Others might be sympathetic, but possibly unable to be empathetic. Unless someone has experienced an identical or similar situation, they very likely cannot fully understand. They can feel for you, but might not feel what you feel.
Job experienced more problems than anyone before or since. His friends sympathized with him, but were more concerned with trying to explain why Job was suffering. That’s pretty tempting to do. Ever wondered, “Why me?” They concluded that Job must have unconfessed sin, and reasoned what explanation could there be except for God’s apparent displeasure being the root of his trouble. Their attempts to help only added to Job’s pain and woes. Job searched his heart in vain, finding neither answer nor relief.
I have learned that no one but God can fully know the origin and explanation for another’s suffering and difficulties. And if you are looking at God as the reason for your hurt and pain, you are likely looking in the wrong direction. The disciples made that mistake when they reasoned as to the cause of a man’s blindness – “Who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:1-3 NKJV. If sickness were only the product of sinning, then who among us would remain healthy, for have not “all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God?” Romans 3:23 NKJV. God judged all sin – yours and my sins – on a cross where a Savior paid the price required.
Also, you and I live in a fallen, world, unlike God intended at creation. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to people undeserving – as painful as that reality may be to you. See Psalm 73 NKJV. A fallen world has disease and death, hurtful people and random occurrence.
Yes, there are things that we bring upon ourselves, the natural consequences of wrong or foolish choices past and present. God need not impose them; you did. There are also elements of spiritual warfare that are very real and very painful. See Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV. The devil is real and the avowed enemy of your soul. “Be sober; be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith . . Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” 1 Peter 5:8-11/James 4:7-8 NKJV. See Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV. Job’s troubles were the result of the devil’s attack and God’s trust, not his sin. See Job 1:1-12 NKJV.
Here’s Job’s conclusion: “If I go to the east . . or to the west, I do not find Him . . But God knows the way that I take . . I have kept to His ways without turning aside; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:8-12 NIV. Here’s what Job discovered; I may not know where God is at my difficult moments, though He is never far. Yet He always knows where I am! See Acts 17:27-28 NIV. God knows exactly where to find you when you most need to be found. That truth should be much more important and comforting to you. Read James 5:10-12 NLT.
My prayer for you today is that you rest in God’s care and knowledge He has of you.