A “through the bible” devotion from Job 4 and 5.
After seven days of silence, Job and his friends spend lots of chapters trying to figure out why his life is in shambles.
The first friend to weigh in is Eliphaz. He has a simple explanation:
Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?
As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:7,8)
Eliphaz, like a lot of people, believes in some kind of spiritual karma. If bad things are happening, you must have done something to deserve it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He goes on to say,
Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. (5:17)
While there is a kernel of truth in his words, we know there’s a whole lot more going on. Job hasn’t done anything to deserve so much loss in his life. In fact, his suffering at the hands of Satan was because he was extraordinarily faithful. Remember God’s evaluation of Job? “He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).
So what’s going on when you want to scream, “Why is this happening to me?”
- Sometimes you know why. You screwed up. Plain and simple. You opened your mouth (again). You smoked for years and years. You lied. You ate the whole box of donuts (again). You built your home in a flood area. You didn’t floss.
- Sometimes someone else screwed up. They backed into your car but never left a note. They lied to you (again). They stole your identity. They spilled red wine on your light gray carpet. They didn’t tell you that house you bought was in a flood area.
- Sometimes stuff happens. Volcanos erupt. Cold weather freezes pipes. Viruses spread. Cancer cells multiply. Pregnant mothers miscarry. Rivers overflow their banks and flood communities. Bugs eat your garden vegetables.
- Sometimes God kicks you out of paradise. Sometimes he sends plagues. Sometimes God raises up foreign armies for invasion. Sometimes his own son is executed.
It’s a broken world filled with broken people, so broken bones, broken hearts, and broken promises shouldn’t surprise us. Even if we do everything right.
When it’s a really good day, why not ask the same question? Why not wonder, “Why this happening to me?” Or, “What did I do to deserve this?” It wasn’t because you were exceptionally good. It’s because God is. Every good and perfect gift comes from him.
Waite for it... 