I don’t understand a lot of what happens in this life, though I incessantly try and calculate every event in my broken mind. However, in my restless attempts, I have come to learn that the ‘not understanding’ is a place where contentment grows when we stop trying to rationalize or excuse the ‘why God!?’ away.
There was a meteor shower this week and while I saw only one soaring, streak of light, my breath was taken away for maybe the nineteen thousandth time as I looked again at my favorite winter constellation—Orion—in the wee hours of the night. Immediately my thoughts jumped to Job and the Lord’s gracious response to Job in the midst of his great tragedy and pain.
“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?” (38:31-34)
No, my Lord. No, we cannot. We are but dust before an infinite God, yet the Lord is remarkably mindful of us knowing our sorrow acutely (Psalm 8). But we don’t get the last word, or really any words at all, in our suffering; however, we are given the Word himself as a hope that springs eternal.
My excuses are flimsy.
My pouting is prideful.
My whining is a noisy gong.
Yet Job remains silent before God. I think this is where the contentment begins to grow—silence before the Lord. Lifting our eyes in wonder, marveling at his goodness and wisdom; because really, what do we have the right to say? (Isaiah 45)
But immense comfort comes when—instead of meticulously dissecting and analyzing why this or that—we acknowledge that every thing the Lord does, causes, plans, purposes is from a place of utmost compassion and unbridled mercy toward those he loves. He draws near to those who are his, even in the midst of evil sin, debilitating suffering, and deafening silence. Contentment’s roots deepen when we recognize that every ounce of suffering is a means of grace for the believer to look more like Christ as we follow him in obedience. It is meant for good. Meant. Planned. Ordained by a good and kind Father. (Genesis 50)
When Job—who suffered not as a result of his sin, but because the greater purposes of God—responds to the Lord, he is led to repent of his sinful reactions to his suffering and confesses of his finitude.
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you...” (42:1-5)
So with Job—instead of making demands of God—may we seek to repent of our sinful reactions in the midst of pain and know as if we have seen with our own eyes, that the Lord’s ways—all of them—are always good and complete to make you more like the Son. We can’t loose Orion’s belt, but we know the One who can do all things.
SDG.
