Finding HOPE in the Storms of Life
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Finding HOPE in the Storms of Life
Curse God and die! Harsh words. Harsher still when they come from your wife! Spoken out of frustration, anger, contempt, or maybe even compassion to end his suffering, Job's wife could no longer bear it. Much has been written about the storm of Job’s life that led to his wife's words in Job 2:9. Job was a blessed man who walked uprightly with God and was, unknowingly, the focus of a heavenly dialogue between God and Satan. Stripped of all his wealth, the tragic loss of all his children and his health, and accused by his closest friends of harboring some secret sin for which God was punishing him, his wife could take it no more. Curse God and die – be done with your suffering.
Yet remarkably and powerfully, Job 1:22 tells us, “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” The NASB renders it, “nor did he blame God.” One of the most compelling attributes of a mature Christian is the ability to consistently see God's sovereignty above the storms of life that come to each of us. We may not lose our jobs, our house, or all our children in one fell swoop. We may not understand the test, the illness, the job loss, the storm, or the pain it brings. Yet understanding and resting in the sovereignty of God, that He is in control of all things at all times, helps us find hope in the midst of the storm. We may understand God's sovereignty theologically or intellectually. But when the storms of life hit, and they will, it is having a deep personal relationship with God that guides us through the storm and gives us His peace that then directs our response.
Job never blamed God; he never cried out, "it's not fair"; he didn't succumb to his friends' accusations and to repent of some secret sin he never committed. He suffered, he wondered, he even thought it may have been better if he had never been born – all human emotion coming out of the immense suffering he was experiencing. Yet his faith response was not shaken; it was not reduced to a human reactionary response.
So, how do we respond to the storms of life when they hit? Do we find hope by hoping the storm never hits, or do we bury our heads in the sand hoping the storm passes? Several responses strengthen, rather than weaken, our faith and help us find hope amid the storm. First, acknowledge the storm and the pain; we are not supermen and superwomen. These things are never easy, even for mature believers. Second, go to the Word and prayer. Immerse yourself in knowing the God who is still in control even when the situation seems out of control. Bring all things to your heavenly Father, and let Him comfort you. Third, rest in the unknown. We never read in Scripture that God gave Job any specific reason for the storms he endured, although as the author of the book, he seems to have had some knowledge later on. However, on this side of eternity, we may never fully know or understand why a child died, why cancer struck, why financial calamity hit at the wrong time. What we can know is that God's sovereignty means He still sits on the throne and controls all things, and in that we can rest in his peace.
Storms are never easy. We live in a culture that seeks to avoid and alleviate pain, and reduce anxiety at all costs. Yet, the words of James 1:2-5, although difficult in the moment, give us great anticipation of finding hope amidst the storms of life: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Jesus still calms the storm!
Rev. Bill Allan, AGC President