Guilt Finders

     It must be our fault. We didn’t have enough faith for healing. We deserve the suffering. Job suffered more than most. He lost his children, his home, his livelihood and his health. His so-called friends and even his wife had no words of comfort. What did you do for God to punish you like this, they wondered?

     As believers we might wonder the same. Why do we suffer? There is danger is believing we will be prosperous, healthy and blessed every day of our lives. God walks with us through our suffering, sometimes walking us through, sometimes around and sometimes delivering us out of it.  Our suffering can draw us closer to Him making our faith even stronger. Job did what we need to do. He looked up.

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21b

Even the disciples questioned Jesus about a man blind from birth.

His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  John 9:2

Jesus answered:

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  John 9:3

     Here we are thousands of years later reading and discussing both Job and the blind man. Their suffering had purpose. The man born blind was used to show the healing power of Christ. Job’s suffering was used to show the possibility of trust even when everything is taken from us; even when we suffer the loss of the people and treasures we care about most.  Get rid of the guilt and look up. The One of your heart is there in the midst ot it. We just may be used to display the works of God.

Dear Lord,

Our suffering has meaning for You. You meet our needs whatever and wherever we are. Comfort those in grief and doubt today with Your presence. Keep us away from guilt. You have the grace to cover it all.

Amen