When Life Makes No Sense

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10)

God is sovereign, and we have no right or ability to refuse the choices he makes for our lives. Job had suffered as few ever suffer and he was miserable, but he understood this. He had not lost sight of God’s sovereignty and he still believed in God’s goodness. If he thought God were evil he would have cursed him (v9). If he thought God were not sovereign he would have ascribed his troubles to someone else. Job lamented his fate (ch3) but he never stopped believing in God’s justice. Job knew there was a reason for his misery; his sin was that he demanded God explain it to him (3:20). God often reveals his purposes to us, but he owes no one an explanation of his actions. And since his thoughts are so high above ours, it is likely that we would not even understand his reasons much of the time. Lord, I know this was a lesson that took me many years to learn. Forgive me when I slip back into the arrogant posture of demanding that you explain yourself to me. What a fool I am when I think that way! You are God and I am not. I will trust in you always. Amen.