Well, we gather for another conversation and we're thrilled that people are listening into these conversations.
All three of you don't knowited. Maybe there may be more than three.
It could be less than three.
Could be less.
Well, we have three kids, so we figure they're Who knows? Maybe they'll listen. I don't know.
ju just, you know, these are the kinds of conversations we have most days of our lives. just questions about life and the complexity of life and sometimes like there are times when we do things and we know the consequences of those things bring struggle
and then there are times where it doesn't make sense. The struggle doesn't make sense and we wonder what God's up to. And again, one of my favorite Old Testament books, I know you're not supposed to have favorites, but one of my favorite Old Testament books is the book of Job. And what I think is so fascinating about Job and what makes it such an interesting story is he is not the quintessential person that you would look at and say, "This guy is going to struggle." Because the Bible's description of him was he was a man who was blameless and upright and one who feared God and turned away from evil. Well, in our Western American culture, we would say that's a person who should be blessed by God
and not struggle
and not struggle. Yeah. I mean, I mean, who wouldn't want to have that said about them by God? Blameless, upright, fearing God, shunning evil.
I mean, the guy had it all together, at least as his life is. is pictured. He was called one of the greatest men in the east
and then his life imploded
and through no nothing that he did to cause it, it implodes and then the rest of the book is him trying to figure out why.
Mhm.
Um
isn't that the question?
Yeah, that is the question. So why God why is why has this happened? Now even when the struggle comes because of something I've done. I think that still is the question that we ask which is why.
it's probably the most natural question to ask but I'm not sure it's the best question to ask.
Yeah.
But it's the question that we are faced like you said most of the time and I know that what we do is we say why God did you allow this? Because if we believe that God is sovereign and in control like we spoke about last podcast then we the question begs to be asked why God would you allow this? because in our minds we don't see the value of it, the purpose of it. Romans 8:28 is thrown about a lot. All things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to his purpose. Well, this doesn't feel good, God. So, why did you allow this to happen? And I we get such a tight view of what's going on that we can't see anything beyond our own circumstances.
Yeah. And I you know, we talk about how culture influences things. I think that's one of the ways that culture has influenced our understanding of what God does. Because in our minds, if we do things the right way, if we perform, if you will, the right way in our walk with the Lord, then we should be blessed.
And we have a very again culturally driven definition of being blessed. I should be healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Yeah.
And so when that doesn't happen, we wonder why God's doing what he's doing.
And in those times of asking why, we also leave a lot of room for the enemy to come in and do what he's done throughout time like he did in the garden and continues to do. Basically, he says, "Is God really good? Can you really trust him? Did he really say that if he loved you, he wouldn't allow whatever
whatever to happen?" Yeah. Yeah. And that is true. And I think that goes that's not culturally bound. That's all across human in nature. I mean, the story I know that's one that you and I resonate with. It's just a short little three-chapter book, the book of Habach.
Yeah.
who here's a guy who served the Lord and he doesn't get what God's doing.
Let's read.
Go ahead.
Well, I'm going to read. You don't read with me. I'm going to read by myself. Don't look over my shoulder. I hate that. Okay. Habach says, "Oh Lord, how long shall I cry for help and you will not hear? Or cry to you violence and you will not save. Why do you make me see iniquity? And why do you idally look at wrong? And he's just struggling with all this stuff is happening with Israel and he's struggling over why God has not intervened in some way because he's looking at that picture right in before him. But what does he say next?
Well, and what h what happens is God gives him an answer and God says in look among the nations and see and wonder and be astounded. I'm going to do a work in your days that you will not believe if told. And then he says, "I'm going to I'm going to use the Babylonians." Well, Habach doesn't like that answer.
That's a bad thought
because the Babylonians are they're worse than we are.
Well, it says they are dreaded and fearsome. Their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swift. Woo! Fierce wolves.
Yeah. And so there's this back and forth when God in essence is saying, "I am working. I am doing something. something and yet what happens is he Habach doesn't like the way God's working which is what we do I think at times when we try to ask that question why are you doing this Lord how long will you do this and then you give us an answer and we don't like the answer and how do we respond then to God when we don't like his answer
because when he gives us an answer like that when he says you know they're coming for violence their faces are forward they gather captives like sand they fly up and devour. When we get an answer like that, you know, my kid has an illness or my husband's lost his job or my health is not good. When we get an answer like that, what we want to do is figure out how we can get through it on our own. And we oftenimes go, "Well, God, if you're not going to do anything, then I will."
Right?
But I think what Hab Habach, I can never say his name, what Habach does is really unusual because he says in Chapter 2. I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower and look out to see what he will say to me and what I will answer concerning what he will answer concerning my complaint. In other words, he's going up there and instead of just moaning and groaning, which he does plenty of, he goes, I'm going to wait and watch and look for God and see what he does.
Yeah. And I think that's one of the challenges for us, whatever, whether it's a, you know, like in Habach's case, it was a nationwide. So, it's a big issue that faced the entire nation, but sometimes for us, it's individual what's going on in our lives and the belief that God is up to something and doing something. And that's why the question why sometimes to me isn't the best question. The question is, okay, Lord, help me see and understand how you're working here. Help me see and understand what you're doing. Even if it doesn't make sense, to me. I mean, when you come back to the end of the book of Habach, Habach says, "Okay, God, even though the fig tree doesn't blossom, the there's no fruit on the vines, no produce in the olive fields, fields yield no food, flocks aren't loses, all everything's gone. Every tangible visible thing that would give him some sense of life is going to work the way I want it to." He says, "Yet I'll rejoice in the Lord. I'll take joy in the God of my salvation. So, it's like he shifts from having to have the question why answered to making this declaration that he will put his hope and he'll find his joy in the God of his salvation.
It seems to me as I read Habach that he actually gathers strength as he waits. And that God doesn't appease him but he engages him. And that is what we want. We want God to engage us but we want him to engage us and say what we think is the right thing. to be done with the situation. And so if the struggle and if the waiting and the suffering that we go through brings us to a place of growth and engaging with God, that's worth it.
Yeah. Yeah. And you know, and I go back to where we started this with Job from chapter three on in Job is Job's pursuit of God. to have the question why answered. He got hit with boom all these things including the death of all of his children. And as he pursues to get the question why answered, he's pursuing God in the midst of that. And the amazing thing about the story of Job is when Job finally gets to a place where he repents and he says, "All right, I'm going to stop trying to be God." In other words, I'm going to stop trying to understand. God never answers the original question of why. Mhm.
He never does.
Yeah.
And we know the answer. We know why all that unfolded in Job's life, but Job never has that question answered, but at the end of the book, you find him rejoicing and worshiping and praising God. So is there a lesson there for us that even if those questions we want to know, okay, God, why has this happened? Why has my life taken this turn? Whether it's like you said earlier, something with my kids, whether it's something health issues, whether it's jobreated, whether it's I don't know anything that anything in our life that we don't like. Can I get to the place that he may never answer the question why, but he'll point me to himself and that'll be enough where I'll find myself like Job ending up worshiping and praising him for who he is.
Here's something that just stirred up in me as you were talking is Yeah, we all deal with the question why. But also here's a different question. We have the completed word of God,
right?
We are we came after Christ came and paid for our sins, bridged that gap between us and God. We have this inspired word and yet we it's like where's the disconnect? Why does this not make a difference? And this isn't a question I don't think we can answer as much as I would love it if people would just sit with that for a little bit. maybe go on that ash heap that Job sat on and sit with it for a little bit. don't ask other people what they think. but rather say, "Okay, Lord, I've got your entire word from beginning to end." And it's the story of you and pursuit of us. Why does this not make a difference when I'm in the darkest place?
I mean, it's a great question and you're right. I don't know that I have an answer for that because I wrestle with that myself. but I think it's the place to begin.
Yeah.
I think it is that wrestling of what he has revealed and his constant revealing of his steadfast his covenantal love with me and for me. And yet the experiences that I have in life, the unpleasant experiences, the unexplained experiences
overshadow that truth.
Yeah.
And I want it to be different than that.
So if you're listening, we're going to ask you to just sit with that this week and ask God to search your heart and see what he shows you. But don't run from it. Just sit with it. And we'll do the same.
Great.