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Enduring Faith

Hello, friend! I hope your day is going well! I want to do a study on something that questions most of us as human beings – “why do bad things happen to good people?” This may be a longer post, so grab a cup of coffee and get cozy!

I am sure sometime in your life you have experienced some sort of suffering, whether it be sickness, loss of a loved one, breakups (partner/friend), rejection, abandonment, and the list goes on. This past week, I finally finished my study on the entire book of Job, so I will be discussing the themes explored in this book of suffering. One of the biggest questions that Job presents is why bad things happen to good people.

I pray that if you are currently in a difficult season that this study will provide fresh insight into your life. You may not be able to relate to the suffering Job has experienced, but I guarantee someone you care about is or has, and you could apply this in encouraging them in their journey!

If you know anything about Job, he was a wealthy, righteous man who experienced levels of intense suffering on earth, but all 42 chapters are not only about his suffering; these chapters explore the challenges of faith that come with suffering, and how to endure in your relationship with God in the midst of these struggles.

I know we have all been there, asking God, “Why are you doing this to me? I don’t understand why this is happening? I thought I was following You, so why am I going through what I’m going through?” If this is where you find your mind drifting to periodically, I hope this provides a different direction for you to lean on.

This is a very quick summary of notes I took as I was reading through Job. I skipped a lot of important dialogue and characters, but I highly recommend reading the chapter for yourself!

In Job 6, Job is expressing to God his confusion as to why he is suffering. He confesses that he feels abandoned by everyone, including God.
Job 10, he grows frustrated; how could God allow him to suffer so much?
Chapter 19, Job begins to express his deep distress, but verse 25, he says, “For I know that my Redeemer lives.” Although Job is experiencing immense suffering, He clings onto faith.
In Job 23, he complains about not being able to find God. He longs for an encounter because his confusion grows. Even though he is unaware of what God is working together in his life, he still maintains his righteousness.
Job 26 is so beautiful because Job remains secure knowing God’s power is unmatched. He focuses on the creation of heaven and how God is in complete control.
In Job 34, Elihu, a younger friend of Job’s, provided fresh perspective. He tells Job that his suffering may have a purpose beyond his human comprehension. He confidently affirms that God is incapable of wrongdoing.
Job 35, Elihu encourages Job in telling him that humans cannot grasp the full scope of God’s justice.
Job 36, Elihu continues to speak truths about God. He says to Job that the One who is perfect in knowledge is with Him. God’s view of fairness triumphs human views. His justice is aimed to the ultimate good.
Job 37:5b, “He does great things we cannot comprehend.” Elihu focuses on the majesty and mystery of God, from speaking of the weather to the vastness of the skies. Elihu provides Job with something we can all take with us today – not all questions about suffering and justice can be fully answered by human reasoning.
Job 38-41, God speaks to Job. Instead of answering Job’s questions, God asks him questions. God mostly asks Job questions about creation and animals. He asks Job questions that vary from the natural world and cosmos to behavior of wild animals. I love how God’s response to Job were series of questions that emphasize God’s role as Sustainer and Creator of all things.
Job 41:11b, “Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.” (I just really liked this verse!)
Job 42, the Lord not only restored all Job lost, but He doubled it.

With this summary, it is obvious that Job’s feelings fluctuate. One chapter he claims he will never experience joy again, but the next he is expressing his security in believing God is working for his good. I love Job’s character because he is so relatable to us. We have all experienced a time when we long for God’s intervention into our lives, especially in the dark times, and we all go to Him with our questions because we simply don’t understand.

I want to focus on 3 main themes in Job:

1) Free will and divine trust.
Job was righteous; he had a heart for the Lord, yet he lost everything in the matter of moments. God had a conversation with the enemy that if Job lost everything, he would still remain faithful. The enemy challenged Job’s faithfulness in attempt to get Job to curse God.

Something that stood out to me about this is that Job was never aware about this conversation. God was actually the one who mentioned Job’s name to satan because He was so confident in His servant. God was so confident that Job would freely choose to remain faithful to Him, even when he lost all of his earthly possessions. This makes me think, would God be as confident in me as He was in Job? Would He offer my name to the enemy, knowing I would freely choose to worship Him while I lost everything else?

2) Growth.
Leaning on the Lord in times of despair lead to personal growth, character development, and a deeper faith. I find it so comforting that in difficult seasons, the person I am learning to become is the person Christ has called me to be. Through the trials, I find out who my true Savior is, my One and Only Redeemer. Pressing into Him shapes my character, which shifts my hope (Romans 5:3-4).

3) Hope and redemption.
The book of Job proves that suffering, though profound and mysterious, is not the final word for those who trust in God. He always has a redemptive plan that ensures the suffering is temporary and will be overcome. Rather than ignoring or denying suffering, Job teaches us how to suffer well by remaining steadfast in faith.

Psalm 30:5, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” If your story doesn’t end in goodness, your story is not over. God still has a work to do in you and through you. The hope in knowing that joy comes in the morning assures you that suffering is only temporary and God’s favor will prevail.

Now, back to the question on why bad things happen to good people. The answer:
I don’t know…

Not a very helpful answer I know, but that is the only correct answer for us to give to a question like that. In the struggles, it’s so easy to focus on the ‘why’, but Job’s story teaches us that we should cling onto the acknowledgement that God is at work for something so incomprehensible for us to ever consider. Our human minds are so limited to understand the complexities of the Lord’s divine ways. Understanding the why is not the purpose for our suffering; what we do with the suffering is.

I also want to add that although God is Creator of the universe, He is not the creator of evil. He is the God of good because He is good and only knows good. He uses anything that the enemy tried to break you with and He redeems it and ultimately turns it around in His favor. He is not the author of evil.

Adversity can become a catalyst for strengthening our character in Christ. Instead of asking God, “Why are You doing this to me?”, ask Him, “What are You trying to teach me?” Shifting your perspective initiates the awareness of lessons and opportunity for growth rather than dwelling on the pain or seeking reasons for our suffering.

Friend, I am telling you this as well as myself: The Lord never wastes a season of suffering. He brings beauty from the darkest seasons. The heartbreak, betrayal, depression you may be experiencing is not the final word of your story. God is not finished with you yet. Press into knowing that He is weaving a piece of your future each and every day. Every step you take with Him is pruning you into the person He has called you to become. God is not done with you.

Through Job’s story, we are reminded of the limitations of our human understanding. Our suffering is not in vain, but for a greater purpose beyond our comprehension. Job’s faithfulness towards the Lord in his suffering teaches us to trust in God’s sovereignty and goodness, no matter the circumstance. Job does not provide us with an answer for why bad things happen to good people, but instead, it invites us and encourages us to remain faithful, continue growing and refining, and embrace the hope and redemption that God promises to those who love Him.

Suffering is never easy, but Job’s story allows us to find the strength to navigate the challenges life throws our way and security in the knowledge that our suffering is temporary and that God will turn our trials into triumphs.

Recognizing you may not understand the reasons for your suffering proves your confidence in God’s plan over your life and provides peace to your soul. Leaning into Him and reminding yourself of His goodness allows us to face adversity with grace and emerge stronger, more resilient, and more closely aligned with God’s purpose for our lives. Keep going, friend! There is still so much joy to be found!