To the seniors, to the health care workers and any person in between who has at least once suffered in there life or as I’ve described it lately felt “gypped off”. Oh wait, that’s everyone.
BACKSTORY: I’d like to tell you about this really cool dude. He’s described as a man who was “blameless, upright, and turned away from evil.” This guy had a family of 11, 10,000+ animals, & workers. All in the same day.... gone. Killed. Family, gone. Livestock, gone. Workers, gone. Everything, gone. Zero, zip, zilch. Life turned upside down.
You read his story, his struggle, his suffering and just sit there and ask the famous question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or “I don’t get it, what did he do wrong?”
QUESTIONS: Why? Why would a sovereign God allow that? Did He allow it? Is He just? Answer: Yeppers.
(At this point I’d like to insert that you should read the book of Job. 10/10 recommended )
THE STORY: So, Job. This totally rad dude is just living his best life, serving God.
Climax: Now, Satan is just walking around the Earth and He and God start talking about Job. God basically says “You know... Job follows me wholeheartedly and doesn’t sin.” Long story short Satan challenges God and says “Well Job wouldn’t serve you if he didn’t have such a good life. If he was miserable, he wouldn’t serve you.” God says “Alrighty then. GO OFF SATAN. Just don’t kill him.” (That escalated quickly ://)
APPLICATION: All around the world we’re all suffering. We’ve all feel gypped off at some point in our life whether it’s a friendship that fell through, you’re out of a job, you didn’t finish high school the way it was supposed to be, freshman year got cut short, breakup, your mom who’s a nurse is never home, fill in the blank. The list goes on & on & on. Like Job, everything but you feels taken.
This brings us to the second part of Job’s sufferings (which we have established, none he deserved) and it get’s dark reallll quick, brace yourself.
So, Job looses all his possessions & family. Satan is like “What is with this guy?! He’s still serving You God? Whatta weirdo, but I bet if he lost his health thennn he’d totally give up on you God.” Satan goes as far to say that Job will start cursing the Lord. God again says “All that He has in in your hands. Just spare his life.”
So what does Satan do?? What he does best.. makes the bad worse. He plagues Job with bodily sores and physically torments him.
Through his loved one’s deaths, abandonment, physical pain Job still was found anchored in the strength of the Lord. He says “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” #goals (p.s this all happens in the first 2 chapters)
MY THOUGHTS: I also thought suffering was a punishment for something I did wrong.
THE FACTS:
1. “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” Romans 5:3-4.
2. “Change is an essential part of life, and suffering brings the change you need in order to perfect your life. But if your faith is in happiness, then suffering if your archenemy and you will do everything to avoid it. But by doing so, you avoid the very thing God wants to use to remake you and perfect your faith. Suffering is a good thing.” - Own it by Michael & Hayley DiMarco ( < read it. )
MAIN POINT: Throughout the horrific events of Job’s journey the hand of God is in it. He is a l w a y s in control. He gives Satan parameters like “Don’t kill Job.” (See Lamentations 3:37-38) No one can interrupt Him, defeat Him, or derail Him. Ahhh peace! Soak it in. That’s something we all need!
When the bad gets worse remember that God redeems, then before you know it the good gets better.
Remember that suffering perfects our faith. It’s not a punishment. (Hebrew 11 & 12)
We’re gonna worship our way through the battles & see a victory!