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Job: When Answers Aren’t Enough

October 28, 2021

God is worthy of our worship.

Job: When Answers Aren’t Enough

By Julia Phillips

“Then Job answered the Lord and said: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. …Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. …I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.’” - Job 42:1–5

Job spends a lot of time looking for a reason for why he has suffered so much. In the book of Job, he never really gets an answer. As readers, we have privileged information from the narrator. We have the backstory. Job has none of that. All he knows is that his life has fallen apart, and God doesn’t tell Job why all these troubles came into Job’s life.

In this sense, God doesn’t answer Job’s “why” question. Instead, God goes deeper into the heart of the matter. He shows Job that his “why” questions were rooted in pride. Did Job know how to run the universe better than God? The real issue at stake was bigger than Job’s circumstances. Job’s challenge was to submit to God and admit that His ways and wisdom far exceed his own.

An easy-to-understand answer for Job’s suffering was not the issue. Job’s peace comes as he submits to God’s authority and wisdom, admitting that even if “answers” don’t come, God is worthy to be worshiped, and his ways are right and true. Job realizes these powerful truths before his life is repaired.

Wait a minute—maybe we should say that Job’s revelation was the repair that needed to happen? His spiritual restoration was more important than his physical restoration. From the beginning of Job’s saga, God knew what the end would be. He knew that Job’s heart would be repaired. He knew Job would submit and love God even when answers didn’t come. The first chapter of Job tells us that’s why Job was chosen in the first place.

God knows the end from the beginning. He has no counselor. His ways are far above and beyond our own, and He is worthy of our worship even when—especially when—answers aren’t enough.

Reflection:
Lord, help us to surrender our questions to you. Help us to believe that your ways and wisdom are good. You are worthy of our worship, regardless of our circumstances. We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

 

Related Resource:

Trusting God

Why is trust so difficult? Unlike all the broken promises of this world, God’s redeeming promises are absolute, trustworthy, and true. The covenants of God afford us with abundant reasons to trust God with his plan for our lives. Trusting God: Redeeming Promises of the Word small group Bible study explores the six major redeeming promises of God found in his Word. Learn more about God’s commitment to his people, the nature of a covenant, and how you can find your security in being a child of God’s redeeming promises. Learn more about God’s promises today.




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