Why Does God Allow His People To Suffer? (4)

Considering that age-old question once again, we take one last look at Job, who illustrates the three reasons for physical infirmity and personal hardship found in II Corinthians 12:7‑10.First, his trials kept him humble, and second, they made him submit to God’s will.

Third, Job’s trials made him dependent on God. May we point out here that Job was not perfect throughout his suffer­ings; he had a few self‑righteous and prideful attitudes. In 42:1‑6, we see Job repent of those and show his complete giving over to God and dependence on His sovereignty: Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

“I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes?” That’s certainly not the common teaching today? No, the teaching today is to glorify self, to “pray the prayer of blessing.” Theologian Charles Ryrie comments on this passage and summarizes the entire book in his Study Bible: “This is the great lesson of the book: If we know God, we do not need to know why He allows us to experience what we do. He is not only in control of the universe and all its facets but also of our lives, and He loves us. Though His ways are sometimes beyond our comprehension, we should not criticize Him for His dealings with us or with others. God is always in control of all things, even when He appears not to be.”

Oh, how wonderful it is to know that God is sovereign! Paul knew this glorious fact. Like Paul, may we rejoice in the trials that come our way.

Former pastor and author Warren Wiersbe recounts the day that a distraught man said to him during a counseling session, “I’ve found the Bible verse that describes my life perfectly.” Turning to Job 5:7, he handed the Bible to Wiersbe and said “Here—read this!” Wiersbe read the verse out loud: “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” The man lamented, “I was born in trouble, I live in trouble, and I’ll probably die in trouble. There’s always a new bunch of sparks, and they’re burning me something awful.” In what Wiersbe considered a flash of Divine guidance, he handed the Bible back to the man and said, “There’s another verse that goes along with Job 5:7. It’s I Peter 5:7—read it!” The man did: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” He was silent for a moment, but then said without even looking up, “Yea, but how do I know that God really cares for me.”

What’s the answer to that man’s question? How do we know God really cares? Because He says so. Paul was not lamenting or feeling sorry for himself when he wrote, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:1). He’d already learned the lesson that God loved him and cared enough for him to use Him for great things.

The story is told of a very busy and widely traveled Christian worker who suddenly found himself flat on his back in bed. Frustrated by his forced idleness and tempted to self-pity, he opened his Bible and found himself reading a familiar passage, Psalm 23. As he read the well-known words, “He maketh me to lie down,” it seemed that the Holy Spirit put a period right there. The man didn’t have to go any further, for that was truth he needed. Ultimately, it was not illness that laid him down, rather it was God. God wanted to speak to his servant in such a way that he was too busy to hear in any other way.

Likewise, Paul was certainly a busy man: traveling, preaching, founding churches, and writing letters. We must wonder if this letter to the Ephesians, as well as the other Prison Epistles, would have ever been written if God hadn’t made the time for Paul to do so. He was the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles, that is, on their behalf, for their advantage, and what an advantage his Prison Epistles are!

May we ever trust in the sovereignty of God. Why? Because it is for our utmost good and His ultimate glory.