“Are God’s consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you? Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash, so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?”

Job 15:11-13

I’ve been meditating on the concept of suffering for the past couple of months. I’ve often been asked, ”If God is so loving, why is there so much suffering in the world?” I think that it is because of His love that there is suffering. When we suffer, we are at a point where our strength is no longer enough. When trials come our way, He leaves us no choice but to trust Him and rely on Him. If we were capable of solely relying on Him every moment, then perhaps He would not have to bring suffering. There is no doubt in my mind that there is pain in the world because of sin. However, I think we give Satan too much credit for it. Every time something doesn’t go our way, we call it ‘backlash.’ I think that sometimes the Lord brings pain in our lives to get our attention. In the verse above, Job’s friend rebukes him for being angry with God in his suffering. He tells Job that God has been speaking words of consolation gently to him. It is because of our unwillingness to listen to the voice of God that gets us to that point in the first place. In meditating on this subject, I have learned one thing for sure - God will order our circumstances so we listen to his voice. As Heidi and I learned in marriage counseling, you must trust the heart of the one you love. Do you know what I think God expects our response to be in the midst of suffering? Like Paul and Silas, He expects us to fill our darkness with His praises. The next time you enter a time of trial, stop and praise the Lord instead of trying to pray it away. Perhaps the Lord is trying to get your attention. Use the time to draw closer to Him in intimacy. The Lord longs to have our hearts. Seek him, and listen to the cry of His heart - the heart of a Father longing for His children.