September 19

Against all this context, the story of Job takes on a new meaning. I have always been afraid of the story of Job. Every possible thing that could go wrong happens to Job. I have had some tests in my adult life, but I have been blessed by a wife who believes in me more than I believe in myself.

Job doesn't have that luxury. Even his wife tells him to curse God and die.

But look at what happens to Job. Everything is not taken from him. He stands firm, and though his faith waivers, his soul remains untouched and he enters into a greater reward at the end of his travails.

Romans 8:28 says that "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."

At first, I took that as a very comforting passage because it meant that God wasn't going to do anything that was bad for me as long as I loved Him. But then, I realized that the things that are good for me are sometimes not happy, lovely things. Sometimes they involve pain and difficulty. Sometimes they involve dealing with my sins and shortcomings in a very intimate and painful manner.

Suddenly, what had been a very comforting passage became very ominous. God would do what was good for me, even if it hurt. And it was not something that I can control.

Now, my view of this passage is a combination. God is going to make all things work for me if I love Him. And yes, those things may be very painful. I have to interject that I am not looking forward to the judgement day, because I know that I have done some things that I am not going to want to be tried over. But in the end, as long as I stand firm in the grace of God, my soul cannot be taken from me.

That means as long as I seek God first, though things may come up that hurt, they are transitory and will eventually melt away before the goodness of God. I can act in freedom and do not have to be bound to ego-laden self-protection.