Not Knowing Why

April 13, 2013

Not Knowing Why

Job 33:1-33

Read "So why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people's complaints?" (Job 33:13)

Reflect Being informed brings a sense of security. It's natural to want to know what's happening in our lives. Job wanted to know what was going on and why he was suffering. In previous chapters, we sense his frustration. Elihu claimed to have the answer for Job's biggest question, "Why doesn't God tell me what is happening?" Elihu told Job that God was trying to answer him, but Job was not listening. Elihu misjudged God on this point. If God were to answer all our questions, we would not be adequately tested. What if God had said, "Job, Satan's going to test you and afflict you, but in the end you'll be healed and get everything back"? Job's greatest test was not the pain; it was not knowing why he was suffering. Our greatest test may be that we must trust God's goodness even though we don't understand why our lives are going a certain way. We must learn to trust in God, who is good, and not in the goodness of life.

Respond What questions are you facing today? Have you considered that perhaps those questions are part of what God is doing? What would it take for you to trust God without knowing the answers to your questions? Are you willing to get to that place?