Trouble Has a Purpose

Job 23:10,11 But God knows me. He is testing me and will see that I am as pure as gold. I have always lived the way God wants. I have never stopped following him.

When we’re going through times of trouble, as we all do from time to time, the thought, the question, that plays on our minds is this one: Why is this happening to me? Well, why is it happening?

Suffering is universally part of the human condition. There’s not a single person alive today who hasn’t suffered. From the pain and discomfort of being born, right through all the lumps and bumps of growing up, those difficult teenage years … right on through adulthood.

In fact, I’d be surprised if right now, as I paint this picture of suffering, you weren’t thinking about one of those difficult, one of those troublesome, one of those painful periods in your life.

God, why? Why me? Why now?

If you’ve ever read the book of Job in the Old Testament, you’ll know that it’s about a man’s suffering. Job was a righteous man. He honoured God in all that he did. And yet God allowed him to suffer terribly. Chapter after chapter, he’s asking his friends, he’s asking God … why?! But at one point, he ends up answering that question for himself:

Job 23:10,11 But God knows me. He is testing me and will see that I am as pure as gold. I have always lived the way God wants. I have never stopped following him.

It turned out that even though God knew Him, even though Job had lived his life the way God wanted him to, even though he’d never stopped following God … the Lord was testing him.

When we’re travelling through troublesome times, God’s testing our faith in Him. He’s testing how genuine our desire to honour Him above all, despite all, truly is.  

That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

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