About twelve years ago, I worked as a real estate agent in Southern California. I had an incredible boss who required us to set goals each year. That motivated me to write down a long list of my life goals which I planned to achieve within the next three months to ten years.
I found that journal about a couple years ago and read through my decade old list of goals: “Own ten investment properties within ten years.” Nope. I didn’t accomplish that one. “Have our own house entirely paid off.” Not that one either. And I sure didn’t expect to be living in Texas and renting. “Do some sort of exercise every day.” Does exercising at least a few times a month count? What about working around the house all day long? “Have Todd in full time ministry.” Why was I even thinking that I should set goals for my husband?
What this list did show me, though, is that while a man plans his ways, the Lord surely does direct his steps. The steps I thought I would take were on a level path, glamorous and easy. The ones we’ve walked have been mostly uphill, with broken concrete and uneven footing. In other words, l had no idea how hard life would actually be. I never realized that people lose jobs and kids have health problems and husbands have health problems and groceries aren’t free and that’s just the start of all the unexpected problems we deal with in life. Truth be told, I just never realized how serious God is about my spiritual growth as a believer. I figured that God’s plan for my life was to honor Him with success, a huge (and painless) ministry, and every person I talked to becoming a Christian. Rather, God’s plan for my life seems to be a lot more about me becoming like Him.
JOB'S STORY
I want to help shed some light on why God often allows our lives to go in unplanned and unwanted directions. The story of Job is a great example of why God might let us go through hard times.
Yesterday morning at breakfast I asked my kids, “What do you want me to read you from the Bible?” Austin answered first, “Job 38!” The Lord must have put that in his heart, because it was our most powerful breakfast devotion in a while.
Since I wasn’t sure if my younger daughter would remember the details of Job’s life, I reviewed the history of Job before reading: Job was a righteous man, and not just according to a human standard. God Himself, who knows all things, called Job blameless.
Job was also one of the richest men alive in his time, but that was about to change. Because while Job was still rich, Satan went up to heaven and talked with God. We learn that he’s been walking around on the earth. God responds to him, “Have you thought about my servant Job? He is a blameless man who fears me.” But Satan answers, “He only serves You because you have blessed him. But if you take away everything he has, he will curse you.” Satan expresses his doubt of Job’s sincerity, claiming that Job only follows God because of what he gets from God.
In response, God tells Satan he can take away everything Job possesses, but he can’t touch Job’s physical body. Suddenly, in one day, Job finds out that all his property has been ruined, all his animals have died (the main source of his wealth), and all his children have been killed! And his response? He fell on his face to bless God and worship Him!
Up in heaven again, Satan revisits God with a reason why Job didn’t curse Him, saying, “A man will do anything to save his life. Take away his health and then see what happens.” Again, God permits Satan to do what he wants with Job, as long as he doesn’t kill him.
Having no idea of anything that has happened in heaven, Job’s body breaks out in painful boils. Just imagine being Job. Everything you love on earth is taken, except your unsupportive wife, who says to you, “Curse God and die.” Then, when it seems life can’t get worse, you break out in boils and sores on every part of your skin from your head to your feet.
Job was in so much pain and discomfort that he took a piece of a broken clay pot and scraped his body with it. He would have looked as ugly as can be, covered in boils, scabs, and blood. And he was suffering immeasurably.
Three of his friends came to “comfort” him, but instead they ended up telling Job, “You must have secretly sinned. This suffering must be a result of something you’ve done.”
Job begins defending himself to his friends, proclaiming his innocence. Then a fourth man comes along, angry with Job for trying to justify himself.
Poor Job. Or at least that’s what I thought.
John MacArthur says this about Job, “He still did not know why he suffered so profoundly, but he was done complaining, questioning, and challenging God’s wisdom and justice… Without answers to all of his questions, Job quietly bowed in humble submission before his Creator and admitted that God was sovereign.
Until I read Job 38. I’ve read this chapter many times, but it really struck me yesterday. God begins to speak and give His side, the true side, in this chapter.
Verse 1-2 says: “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” In other words, “Why have you spoken when you didn’t know what you were talking about?”
Okay, if I was reading Job for the first time, when I got to chapter 38 I would have expected God to say something like, “Oh Job, you have done so well hanging in there. I am so proud of you.”
But instead we see how much God dislikes it when we don’t trust Him and what He’s doing in our lives. He says to Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who set its measurements? Since you know.” And again He says, “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?...You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!”
What a wake-up call! God basically tells Job, “Hey, since you were there when I made the world, tell me how I did it?”
My mind started reeling as I read this. What horrible thing did Job say? I couldn’t recall anything. Finally in Job 40:2 (where God says, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.”), I saw some little verse footnotes by the words “contend” and “reproves.”
And with those notes I was able to find these verses spoken by Job in chapter 10:2, 7-8. “I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Let me know why You contend with me…According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty, yet there is no deliverance from Your hand. Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, and would you destroy me?’”
In other words, Job is asking God, “Why are you allowing me to suffer when I don’t deserve it?” This is certainly a timeless question. Maybe Job thought back and wondered, “What could I have done differently?” And when he realized the answer was “nothing,” he started to get upset these things were happening to him without a cause. But after God reveals to Job just how much he doesn’t know, Job retracts his statements and repents in dust and ashes.
Job finally says, “I know that You can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted… I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
John MacArthur says this about Job, “He still did not know why he suffered so profoundly, but he was done complaining, questioning, and challenging God’s wisdom and justice… Without answers to all of his questions, Job quietly bowed in humble submission before his Creator and admitted that God was sovereign. Most importantly for the message of the book, Job was still diseased and without his children and possessions, and God has not changed anything (except for the humbling of the heart of His servant). …[Job] expressed his own sorrowful regret that he had not just accepted God’s will without such ignorant complaints and questions.”
My eyes are full of tears as I read how our story ends…
“The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold... The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys… He had seven sons and three daughters… After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. And Job died, an old man and full of days.”
OUR STORY
For believers, we have an even better hope. Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” God rewarded Job for his faithfulness on earth with blessings that lasted throughout Job’s life. God rewards us with an eternal inheritance that will never fade away.
When life is frustrating and heartbreaking, may we remember that God can do all things and no purpose of His can be thwarted. Those heartaches, those things we don’t understand, and the steps in life we never dreamed of taking, those are all part of God’s purpose. God will make sure that whatever happens in your life is according to His ultimate purpose and also for your good. God works all things together for good for those who love Him, according to His plan which is far greater and better than what we could imagine.
A prayer to prepare us for difficult times:
“Oh, Lord, please give me a heart that worships You and blesses You in every trial or circumstance. Keep me from questioning You or expecting a reason when trials come. Instead, make me remember that You know all things and no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. Please keep me from ever questioning Your sovereign plans.”
~ By: Katie Hoffman
Further Study & Reflection
Read:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
Reflect:
- How can trusting God’s sovereignty give you peace when His plan seems unclear?
- What are practical ways to surrender your frustrations to God in prayer?
Pray:
Father, I sometimes struggle to trust Your plans for my life. Help me surrender my frustrations and doubts to You, knowing that You are working for my good and Your glory. Teach me patience and faith in Your perfect timing. Amen.