Praise in the Midst of Suffering

"'Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked shall I return.

The LORD gave,

and the LORD has taken away;

blessed be the name of the LORD.'"

Job 1:21 ESV

His name is synonymous with suffering.  In the span of a few hours his oxen, donkeys and servants were slain, the sheep and their shepherds eradicated by lightening, his camels were stolen and their caretakers killed, and his beloved children all perished as the house was destroyed by a freak windstorm.  This goes way beyond having a bad day; it is the epitome of suffering.

How could Job honor God when he had lost everything?  I would think he would at least be a little angry!  How did he praise and exalt the name of the Lord in the midst of such heartache and trouble, and how can I do the same in the difficulties I now face?

Kingdom Eyes.  It's easy to see the bad stuff.  The difficulties blare out, announcing their presence with what sounds like a trumpet blast.  Sickness hits, financial hardships come, repairs become necessary, rebellion rears its ugly head in the hearts of my children; life appears to be one difficulty after another.  

Meanwhile, God is busy at work behind the scenes extending His mercy, grace and love.  Yet I fail to see it because I'm using my own fleshly eyes to view the world.  If I shed such a lowly viewpoint and don a higher way of seeing things, I'll notice God's mercy in the timing of the latest calamity, coming as it did when I was better positioned to face it.  Or I will take note of the love of God pouring out through the people I come into contact with as I negotiate the pitfalls of the latest tragedy.  Or I find great comfort coming in the presence of God signified through a kind act, or a beautiful flower, or an unusual bird.

God never rests and He has promised to always be with me.  Sometimes, however, I forget to notice His still, small voice, or appreciate His reassuring ways, or perceive His merciful acts.  It then follows that I will think He has left me when in reality He has been there all along, giving me what I need to get through each moment.

Job was able to praise God in the midst of suffering because he looked at his situation through kingdom eyes, and I can do the same.

Humble Outlook.  Nothing about my situation seemed good.  I could not perceive how things would work out in the end.  It looked like a hopeless situation to me, that is until I stopped trying to be in control. 

When I am the lord of my own life, thinking I have to put out the fires, solve the problems, and come up with viable solutions, every little hiccup becomes a crisis and I start to feel as if there is no point to my life.  In short, I get discouraged.

Placing Jesus in the position as Lord of my life, however, gives me a chance to settle into my rightful place as a child of the God who has all power and resources yet loves me perfectly (1 John 3:1, Matthew 6:8, 31-33).  When I recognize His ultimate control and am able to identify His nature as good, I can put my trust in Him to lead me through whatever may come my way.  

If, however, I'm not sure of God's motives, suspecting that He may allow hurt into my life for no apparent reason, I will be wary of His leadership and attempt to go my own way in an effort to protect myself.  Unfortunately, I'll end up getting into more trouble and experiencing more hurt as I muddle through apart from His perfect love (Isaiah 26:1-4).  As C.S. Lewis said, "God can't give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because it is not there.  There is no such thing."

God can be trusted.  He doesn't change His mind, is unable to lie, and will never go back on a promise (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17, Deuteronomy 7:9).  The only variable in my relationship with Him is me: Will I trust Him enough to submit to His authority?  Am I humble enough to let go of the reigns of my life?  Can I give up my so-called "need to know" mentality and surrender to His higher ways (Isaiah 55:8-9)?

Job was able to praise God in the midst of suffering because he possessed a humble outlook that trusted God to lead, and I can do the same.

Eternal Perspective.  It's so easy to think this is all there is.  When I adopt such an outlook I live for the here and now, grabbing all I can before it's gone and investing in fleeting pleasures.  The problem with this way of seeing the world is that when trouble comes, I feel like my life is over.  If there is nothing more than this life and things don't go well, what's the point of carrying on?  From where does my hope come?  Why should I keep trying just to get slapped upside the head time and time again?

When I know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, however, I gain a new perspective.  This world changes from the be-all, end-all to a temporary assignment (Philippians 3:20).  As a follower of Christ I learn that He is preparing a place for me in His Father's house, and that this place is where I will be perfectly satisfied and fulfilled (John 14:1-3).  Having such bounty and treasure to which I can look forward gives me strength to get through the nonsense which I must deal with here on earth.

Furthermore, knowing that Jesus is the ultimate Overcomer, that if I stick with Him I'll be on the winning side, gives me courage to stand firm instead of keeling over from the stress of life (John 16:33).  If I know who will come out on top, why wouldn't I pledge my life to Him?  Doing so means I will realize there is purpose behind the suffering, that He uses every situation in my life to bring about good while conforming me into the image of Christ, builds my character and develops eternal treasures (Romans 8:28-29, 5:3-5, Matthew 6:19-21).  

Job was able to praise God in the midst of suffering because he maintained an eternal perspective, and I can do the same.

It's hard to think about praising God as I walk through a dark valley filled with the stench of death.  It is possible, however.  I know this because Job was able to do just that, and his life serves as an example of how I can give God honor and lift up His name even when my circumstances beg for a curse.  I can look at my world through kingdom eyes, adopt a humble outlook, and gain an eternal perspective.  In these ways I'll be able to praise God in the midst of suffering.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to follow Him when He takes me down a rocky road.

How do I turn my back on God in an effort to avoid suffering?

When am I focused mostly on the bad stuff that is happening instead of God's goodness?