Tag: suffering

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Why Do the Righteous Suffer?

Daily Reading

Job 5-7

Daily Thought

Job’s three friends came and sat silently seven days. In this they did well. When they did speak, Eliphaz, likely the oldest, spoke first, “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty” (Job 4:7). 

You must have done wrong, Job. What else could explain your suffering? 

The other two, Bildad and Zophar, concur. This is the simple religion of easy equations: the unrighteous suffer, the righteous prosper. We like simple religion. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” the disciples asked Jesus (John 9:2).

The problem is Job was “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8). He was righteous–those were God’s words. The friends were sure they had Job, and God, figured out–“they are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed” (Job 6:20). Job’s friends were actually sad that Job was not bad because it meant their religion was not safe from suffering and it scared them. Job called them out for this, “For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid” (Job 6:20-21).

Jesus corrected his disciples question, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Jesus did not explain suffering, he entered suffering–Christ and a cross, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 11:2). A suffering Savior for a suffering world, one who teaches us how to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). 

But Job’s friends kept talking.

Daily Prayer

My God, You became like me and took the cross of my making. You bore my sin and died my death. In a world full of suffering, You gave me hope for the future. May I now become like You and embrace the suffering of others, coming alongside them and sharing this same hope.

You have taught me a deep joy and a powerful peace that strengthens me when I face trouble. I know I can rely on You because You have gone before me and overcome. You are my strength and my Savior, and in the midst of a world in turmoil, in You I can by silent and find rest.

Amen

Daily Question

Does suffering draw you toward God and push you away?

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Enough

Daily Reading

1Samuel 28-31

Daily Thought

“In those days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel” (1Samuel 28:1), marching by hundreds and by thousands according to chapter 29. Saul would lose all. By war’s end, he and his three sons were dead. Saul was afraid, so he turned where he seldom turned, to the Lord, but “the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets” (1Samuel 28:6).

In Chapter 30, David and his men came to Ziklag, the Amalekites had made a raid, and David found the city burned with fire, and the wives and sons and daughters taken captive, including David’s two wives. David had lost all. He was distressed, so he turned where he always turned, to the Lord, and “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1Samuel 30:6).

Saul spoke of “your God,” David of “my God.” Each had lost all, but Saul had none left because he had not God to begin with and wallowed in empty silence. From David was taken his city, his family, his possessions, but none could take his God. “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God,” turning from earth’s ruin to the riches of heaven. Whatever else I might lose, as long as I have my God I have enough.

He restores my soul.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. ~A Psalm of David 23:3-4

Daily Prayer

Everlasting Father, all of hope rests in You. Away from You can only lead to despair and darkness. You are the light of the World. Your Word shines a light on my path and makes my way straight.

God, daily I will spend time in Your Word. I will put it in my mind and deep in my heart so that it stays with me throughout the day. Thank You for the truth. Your truth. I will build my house on solid ground.

Amen

Daily Question

When have you found God’s comfort in the midst of great loss?

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When Your Friend Is Suffering

Daily Reading

Job 11-13

Daily Thought

Your friend is suffering. What do you do? First, what you don’t do.

Avoid the comparisons, “It’s not as bad as that time I…,” or “My brother-in-law had the same thing.” And don’t lay blame, “Well, you had it coming…,” or “You just need more faith.” Be careful trying to explain God, “This is God making you strong.” You’re not the doctor, so don’t tell them, “I read on the internet about a special treatment.” Beware “at least,” like, “at least you’ve had a good life.” And, oh, those clichés and platitudes! “Look on the bright side.” “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

We fear the silence, so we fill the silence. Awkwardly. “If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom” (Job 13:5).

If these are the don’t’s, what are the do’s? First, show up. Job’s friends got it right …for a week (Job 2:13). Just be there. Then love them, talk relationally. And serve them, see a need and meet it. And pray, bring God with you.

Daily Prayer

Father God, you are my comfort and my refuge. You are all-powerful and all-knowing. There is nothing so big that I cannot bring it to you. You are an intimate, loving Father. There is nothing so small that you are not interested. You delight in my prayers, which is amazing and wonderful.

God, may I walk through my days with you, speaking to you always, sharing my pleasures and my pains, my desires and my concerns. Then, God, may I find peace and contentment, because I do not walk alone.

Amen

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Silence Was Better

Daily Reading

Job 5-7

Daily Thought

Job’s three friends came and sat silently seven days. In this they did well. When they did speak, Eliphaz, likely the oldest, spoke first, “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty” (Job 4:7). You must have done wrong, Job. What else explains the suffering? The other two, Bildad and Zophar, concur. This is the simple religion of easy equations. We like simple religion. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” the disciples asked Jesus (John 9:2).

The problem was Job was “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8). Those were God’s words. The friends were sure they had Job, and God, figured out. “They are ashamed because they were confident; they come there and are disappointed” (Job 6:20). They were actually sad that Job was not bad because it meant their religion was not safe from suffering and it scared them. “For you have now become nothing; you see my calamity and are afraid” (Job 6:20-21).

Jesus answered his disciples question, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Jesus did not explain suffering, he entered suffering; Christ and a cross, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 11:2). A suffering Savior for a suffering world, who teaches us how to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). But Job’s friends kept talking.

Daily Prayer

My God, You became like me and took the cross of my making. You bore my sin and died my death. In a world full of suffering, You gave me hope for the future. May I now become like You and embrace the suffering of others, coming alongside them and sharing this same hope.

You have taught me a deep joy and a powerful peace that strengthens me when I face trouble. I know I can rely on You because You have gone before me and overcome. You are my strength and my Savior, and in the midst of a world in turmoil, in You I can by silent and find rest.

Amen