Selwyn says some challenging things in today’s study.
“If we insist that because we are Christians we should be exempt from the effects of the Fall, that we live in a broken world, our attitude will bring us into conflict with God’s purposes for our lives. … Take, for instance, the matter of bereavement. Some people suffer a crushing loss but never come to terms with it in their hearts. … In their hearts they are hostile to God. … Are you harbouring a grudge? Dare to surrender it now. Grace may flow like a river but a grudge will dam the stream.”
One area, that many Christians have difficulties with – is the death of one or more of their children. The grief that must flow when a child dies, would be immense. (I’ve not experienced this extreme form of suffering). It’s bad enough when our elderly parents die, but we never expect to bury our own children.
Job suffered in this way - (Job 1:18-22, NLT): “While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your six sons and three daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,
I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
Job’s wife reacted in a way, that many undergoing severe grief, often do, Job 2:9-10 (NLT): “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But Job replied, ‘You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.”
Job’s wife does say something that is very true – if you curse God – you will die. The most common way of cursing God is by our actions, and not only by words.
In, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NLT), we read: “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting (in a way, cursing) God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”
The conflict for a Christian comes from the question: “How can a loving, good God allow bad things to happen to good people?” In Job 1:8, we are told what God thinks about Job: “Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
Yet, God allowed Job to suffer, ‘Why?’ We are never given a complete answer. Yet, we know it has something to do with not blaming God for doing something ‘wrong’; to remain loyal, so that we don’t doubt God’s goodness; and, it’s often a test by Satan to see if we will withdraw our trust in God. The enemy of God, Satan, (from the very start of God’s story) has always been active in tempting us to doubt God’s Word – and, by our actions to curse God.
Some Christians cannot accept the spiritual truths found in Job, and try to provide God with an excuse. For example, they may say that God does not foresee this type of suffering and is powerless to prevent it. This view is completely wrong – Scripture, clearly presents God as all-knowing and all-powerful – the Almighty.
Another destructive view is that somehow they have sinned and God is punishing them – a form of judgment. Yet, read Job, again – Job was blameless in God’s eyes. It is true, that in the Old Testament (and there are a few powerful examples in the New Testament), we will read about times when God did punish certain nations and individuals – yet, in these cases He makes it very clear to His audience - the nature of their sin and its consequences. [If we are being disciplined by God then we will not be left in any doubt as to the reason, that's fairly obvious.]
To accept the ‘unacceptable’ – we must always turn to God and seek His help in times of unexplainable suffering – trusting in His love, mercy, compassion, goodness and holiness. To accept that we may never know the complete story this side of the grave but that we will have an eternity to enjoy His perfect rest and peace, without tears and suffering.
What’s your view on this issue?
Don’t dam the stream
Selwyn says some challenging things in today’s study.
“If we insist that because we are Christians we should be exempt from the effects of the Fall, that we live in a broken world, our attitude will bring us into conflict with God’s purposes for our lives. … Take, for instance, the matter of bereavement. Some people suffer a crushing loss but never come to terms with it in their hearts. … In their hearts they are hostile to God. … Are you harbouring a grudge? Dare to surrender it now. Grace may flow like a river but a grudge will dam the stream.”
One area, that many Christians have difficulties with – is the death of one or more of their children. The grief that must flow when a child dies, would be immense. (I’ve not experienced this extreme form of suffering). It’s bad enough when our elderly parents die, but we never expect to bury our own children.
Job suffered in this way - (Job 1:18-22, NLT): “While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your six sons and three daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.
Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,
I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”
Job’s wife reacted in a way, that many undergoing severe grief, often do, Job 2:9-10 (NLT): “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But Job replied, ‘You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.”
Job’s wife does say something that is very true – if you curse God – you will die. The most common way of cursing God is by our actions, and not only by words.
In, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NLT), we read: “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting (in a way, cursing) God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”
The conflict for a Christian comes from the question: “How can a loving, good God allow bad things to happen to good people?” In Job 1:8, we are told what God thinks about Job: “Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
Yet, God allowed Job to suffer, ‘Why?’ We are never given a complete answer. Yet, we know it has something to do with not blaming God for doing something ‘wrong’; to remain loyal, so that we don’t doubt God’s goodness; and, it’s often a test by Satan to see if we will withdraw our trust in God. The enemy of God, Satan, (from the very start of God’s story) has always been active in tempting us to doubt God’s Word – and, by our actions to curse God.
Some Christians cannot accept the spiritual truths found in Job, and try to provide God with an excuse. For example, they may say that God does not foresee this type of suffering and is powerless to prevent it. This view is completely wrong – Scripture, clearly presents God as all-knowing and all-powerful – the Almighty.
Another destructive view is that somehow they have sinned and God is punishing them – a form of judgment. Yet, read Job, again – Job was blameless in God’s eyes. It is true, that in the Old Testament (and there are a few powerful examples in the New Testament), we will read about times when God did punish certain nations and individuals – yet, in these cases He makes it very clear to His audience - the nature of their sin and its consequences. [If we are being disciplined by God then we will not be left in any doubt as to the reason, that's fairly obvious.]
To accept the ‘unacceptable’ – we must always turn to God and seek His help in times of unexplainable suffering – trusting in His love, mercy, compassion, goodness and holiness. To accept that we may never know the complete story this side of the grave but that we will have an eternity to enjoy His perfect rest and peace, without tears and suffering.
What’s your view on this issue?