No Formula

"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job,

and that man was blameless and upright,

one who feared God and turned away from evil."

Job 1:1 ESV

I like to think that if I live right, am faithful to God and seek to please Him, He will bless me with a trouble-free life and protection from evil.  Examining Job's life, I see this can't be true.  Why not?  Why can't I expect a smooth ride in return for my godly choices?  There are several reasons.

Mysterious Purpose.  In the midst of the heartache, Job lamented his birth and wanted his life to end.  So great was his grief that he yearned for peace and release from such a heavy burden (Job 3).  Behind the scenes, however, God was busy working out His mysterious purposes.

Since I am not God, I have no clue as to the reasoning behind His actions (Isaiah 55:8-9).  I can't answer, "Why?"  I don't know what He's up to.  The only thing I do know for sure is that He is up to something.  And that something is good (1 John 1:5, James 1:17).  

God has His own purposes of which I cannot fathom.  Even though He doesn't reveal why He allows suffering into my life, He has clued me into the what.  What outcome can I expect for me as I love Him and am called according to His purpose?  It will be His best for me (Romans 8:28-29).  It will be a part of the cleansing, lifelong process that sets me apart for His use.  It will help to conform me into the image of Jesus.

Since God is the keeper of the "Why?", I am to concern myself with the "Who?"  Ultimately, God is in control.  Since He's a good God, I can trust Him to be the gatekeeper of my life, filtering out those things that will bring harm and somehow, mysteriously, weaving the hurtful and difficult into a breathtaking masterpiece that could come about no other way.  

When I go through hard times I can remember that God is guided by His good yet mysterious purpose.

Different Economy.  It's upside-down, backward, and opposite of this world.  I live in a culture that rewards hard work with material success, that is generous to those who give and stingy toward those who are powerless and have nothing to contribute.  Value is placed on what can be spent, consumed or enjoyed.  Popularity is achieved by the beautiful, funny and entertaining.

In contrast, God's kingdom is a place where rewards are heavenly and unconditional generosity is the rule not the exception (Matthew 5:12, Hebrews 11:13-16).  The things that are deemed as valuable are intangible and eternal while each life is equally important and precious (Matthew 6:19-21, Psalm 139:14).

Since God's kingdom is so different from the world in which I temporarily dwell, I must remember that my reward for living in relationship with God will come later.  I can't expect Him to give me what He has in store for me now, but in eternity where things will be as He created them to be.  Until then, I can realize that my desire to please God with a heart that is dedicated to Him will not go unnoticed by my Father whose eye is always on me (Matthew 10:29-31).

When I go through hard times I can remember that God is saving up a reward for my choice to stay true to Him (Galatians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:58).

Character-Focused.  The conditions were ideal.  Temperature, humidity, and soil pH levels were closely monitored.  Harmful substances were strictly prohibited and the plants were shielded from the extremes of the elements.  Vegetation will grow well in such a perfect environment.  In order to truly test their hardiness, however, they must be transferred outside into the real world.

Similarly, it would be easy to stay true to Christ in such a protected environment as a greenhouse plant enjoys.  There would be no pressure to stray, no temptation to lure me away from Him, no harsh environment to plant seeds of doubt into my heart.  But would my faith be real?  Would my intention to follow Jesus really mean anything in such ideal surroundings (Job 1:8-10)?

The only way to find out if I mean it when I say I love Jesus more than anything, is to place me into the fray.  As the temptations come, the losses hit, and the trials enter, I'll learn if what I profess so confidently to be true has penetrated my heart.  If I keep looking around me, fretting at the harshness of the temperatures, the strength of the wind, or the life-threatening power of the storm, I'll see that I don't really trust God as much as I thought I did.  Worry and anxiety then rules my heart.  

If, however, I look up, keeping my eyes trained on Jesus who gave me my faith and is always at work refining and bolstering it, I will begin to see that my faith is real (Hebrews 12:2).  It is only through the difficulties that my faith is purified and tested (1 Peter 1:6-7).

When I go through hard times I can remember that God is testing and purifying my faith.

I desire a carefree, comfortable and enjoyable life.  If I am to follow Jesus in a world that is dedicated to everything that goes against Him, however, I must expect difficulty.  As a child of a Heavenly Father who loves me, I might expect that He will shield me from all harm if my heart is devoted to Him.  If so, I'll be disappointed because the truth is that God has His own purposes that are a mystery to me, operates under a different economy, and is more focused on my character than on my comfort.  Therefore, I must realize that there is no formula to live my best life now.  Instead, I can strive for His best, a far, far different thing.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay focused on Jesus, especially when the going gets rough.

How am I more dedicated to my comfort than to letting God have His way?

When do I despair when hard times hit, forgetting that God has a purpose through it all?