PCM-11-02-2014 Gods explanation of Jobs [your] suffering



That is the frustrating thing about the book of Job [from the Bible], there is no clear explanation by God to Job as to why he went through all the suffering, pain and struggle.... UNLESS you read between the lines to the selfless gift of faith and love.



Faith inspires our love for God.



It is how Jobs friends [some of which are still with us today...] try to explain and simplify all the agony and the reasons for it to Job. What they end up doing is exposing their own ignorance [and mine as well] to the reasons that things are the way they are. We tend to be short sighted and selfishly look at the sufferings of others in the dim light of our limited human understanding.



Trust inspires love for God.

Job himself struggles with the reasons and comes up short in his human view and explanations. He could only go on what he knew and experienced at the time. Remember this was a real time “in the moment” reality for him. He did not read the end of the book of Job and find out all that God had planned.



God himself does not explain all the reasons why, he simply wants Job's love, heart and soul to trust him regardless of what the circumstances are. We call it faith but when it is forged through the furnace of personal suffering it transforms our hearts and minds into the people God wants us to be.

You and I do not know all the reasons for the suffering but we can love God, trusting in his love for us.

I am inspired by the faith of the companions God has placed me with especially my bride of 35 years Cathy. Seeing her love, trust and faith in God grow despite her pain and incalculable sufferings keeps me looking forward to the time we will spend in eternity with you and our fellow travelers.

Love forever, Bill Sullivan, pc-ministry For more in-depth explanation read my favorite author's book “Walking with God through pain and suffering” by Timothy Keller

http://www.irish-gifts-blessings.com/PCM-11-02-2014.html

Job 41:1-6 The Message version 1 Job answered God: 2 "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. 3 You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. 4 You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.' 5 I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand - from my own eyes and ears! 6 I'm sorry - forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."