We are coming off a week where one of the worst hurricanes on record devastated our neighbors in the Bahamas and countrymen in the Carolinas. Thousands of people have lost their possessions, jobs and in many cases even loved ones. It was truly a travesty. Yet, in the midst of this atrocity they can still cry out to Almighty God just like Job did when he experienced similar devastation.

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” – Job 1:20-22

These are powerful words coming from a man who just lost his fortune and family. For Job to lay aside his feelings and focus on the true meaning of life, that is, pleasing and serving the Lord, took strength beyond comparison. I know few people who could muster the strength and courage to do what Job did in his time of peril.

The bad news is that peril, such as that which fell upon Job, still exists and bad things happen to good people every day. The good news, however, is that the sovereignty of God is not dictated by it. God is still in control of the universe including what happens to you and me. We may not always understand the circumstances in our life, nor the reasons they occur, but we can rest in the fact that God is in control.

Job and his friends expressed no doubt about the Creator’s absolute sovereignty. They stated their assumption that very good reasons must exist for every event and circumstance that occurs – both good and bad. Early in the dialogue with his comforters, Job devoted an entire speech to describing God’s limitless power, His capacity to achieve anything He wants at anytime and anywhere (Job 9). Whether it be moving mountains, fine tuning the physics of nature, guiding the circumstances and events of a person’s life or bringing blessing to some and trouble to others, God can and does take responsibility for it all. From Job’s perspective, no circumstance or event anywhere within the cosmos occurs outside the Creator’s will.

Job understood God’s sovereignty as continual, not occasional. Therefore, don’t despair when calamity comes your way or when trouble knocks at your door. Like Job, answer it with praise and glorification of the Father, knowing that all good things will come to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). 

Make it your goal in life to continuously praise God in every circumstance you encounter, knowing that God the Father has not allowed anything to happen to you that hasn’t been filtered through His fingers.

Be encouraged for God is good!

In Christ,

Dave

Questions to Ponder:

1. Looking back at your life have you seen God’s hand of sovereignty play a significant role in shaping who you are today?
2. When lost people ask you why do bad things happen to good people, are you prepared to give an answer? A testimony?

Related Articles:

For more on Job and God’s Sovereignty see Why, God? and The Great Potter.

For more on what the Bible says about facing life’s difficult times read Facing the Storm.