Job Understanding How it All Works Together

From a human perspective, it looked like evil had won. Through Christ's resurrection, God has turned all this into the greatest story ever. Because through the resurrection, we know that our redeemer what? He has done that because he has went into that place. The tomb is empty. Paul, the apostle Paul, also suffered much, and he tells us something really good in Romans eight twenty eight. [00:14:58] (38 seconds)

Notice that, but it doesn't say in there. It does not say that all things are good. Right? Some things are painful, some things break our hearts, but God is at work in all things. Say with me, in all things. In all things. And I wanna want you to go to sleep with me. In your suffering, even in your confusion, and you're wondering God is there with you. Even in the lone nights when the we cannot even see what he's doing, God is not asleep. [00:15:51] (34 seconds)

The darkness is real, but Job refuses to be silent in that moment. He refuses to shut his mouth. He keeps praying. He keeps crying out to God because faith is not pretending everything is fine. Right? That's not faith. Everything is fine? Yeah. You got feelings inside not expressed. Faith is holding on to God, clinging to God even when life is not fine. And here is the gospel for us today. [00:12:21] (40 seconds)

Our scars become those places, those channels where Christ's compassion flows through. And underneath all that, there is something much deeper. Christ is holding on to you and to me. By his wounds, we are what? Amen. You know your bible. That's good. See, in your baptism, God has called you his own. He's not silent. In his word, he's telling you and me all his promises what is to come. In his Lord's Supper, when we have the Lord's Supper, he gives us his own very blood and very body for us. [00:17:15] (44 seconds)

We feel that that not only we want to be silent, but we feel like God is silent in our lives. Job says he searched for for God everywhere. I mean, you read it. The east and the west, everywhere. He didn't see him. He couldn't find him anywhere. For many chapters, God is silent. At least what that's what it seems like. Many Christians know that feeling. We pray, we ask, we're sick, and sometimes heaven feels quiet. [00:10:11] (40 seconds)

Many Christians know that feeling. We pray, we ask, we're sick, and sometimes heaven feels quiet. But is God really quiet? Or could it be that even in his silence, he's blessing us? And that leads us to our third point. It points us to the struggle. And that silence leads us to through that struggle. Job cries out, even today, my complaint is, what, bitter. Why this? Why now? Why me? [00:10:37] (48 seconds)

Life can change in a single moment. A phone call, a doctor's appointment that changed your life, a loss you never expected. Your world suddenly changes in a minute, in a second, a millisecond. It seems like everything is falling apart in your life. And as Job experienced all this suffering, as he's going through all this, had some friends that came and stayed with him. [00:08:15] (39 seconds)

That hope that you have in Christ is not defined to a place. He's everywhere with you. He's not concealed to that one corner, to that circumstance. He's everywhere, every time, at all times with you. Isn't that great to know that? So what God wants to do is he wants to carry us from a shallow faith to a deeper faith, to a stronger faith. A faith that holds tightly and holds on to God, the creator of all things. [00:07:07] (33 seconds)

Yet, he knows the way I have taken when he has tested me. I will merge as pure gold as pure gold. Job realizes that in his suffering, God is not trying to destroy him, but refining him. Say it with me, refining. Refining. Remember that when you go through difficult times. And maybe we can ask the question, what are you trying to refine in my life? [00:05:47] (31 seconds)

I had a friend who who went through divorce, and I've been through divorce. What do we do with this? So we decided to do divorce care. And through that, a lot of people were able to cope with their divorce. It becomes a place where where God uses us to understand another person's suffering. Our scars become those places, those channels where Christ's compassion flows through. And underneath all that, there is something much deeper. [00:16:40] (46 seconds)

We know how the story begins. We know how it ends. Isn't that great? Amen? We don't have to be wishful thinkers. Mentally, we have a savior. We have a redeemer that not only allows the suffering in our lives but joins in our suffering, he has shocked himself. How? Well, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I'm shocked. [00:13:21] (38 seconds)

When we go through difficult times, we question, why? But see there, the god was not silent. He was working a miracle for all of us. And no word came out from heaven because this Jesus was the true sufferer. Job was not. You are not. He was. He was arrested. He was mocked. He was beaten. He was crucified. From a human perspective, it looked like evil had won. [00:14:26] (38 seconds)

In your suffering, even in your confusion, and you're wondering God is there with you. Even in the lone nights when the we cannot even see what he's doing, God is not asleep. He's taking care of you. But here is the remarkable thing. Not only that he's doing that, often God uses your wounds to bless others. Have you noticed that? I had a friend who who went through divorce, and I've been through divorce. What do we do with this? [00:16:11] (40 seconds)

Even when life feels confusion confused, even when heaven seems solid, even when the nights feel long, and I think you have some of those too, God has not abandoned you. And one of one day, you and me, like Job, we will see what God had was doing all the way long. Imagine that day when you can see what God was doing in your suffering. [00:17:59] (36 seconds)

And these friends not only stay with him, but but they were quiet. Think about that for a moment. We have a hard time being quiet for one minute. Not to mention seven days and seven nights. That is hard, but they were there with him. And sometimes there are no words to describe what what we're feeling through. Have you been there? Have you been there where you have so much pain in your life, you don't know how to describe it? [00:09:07] (33 seconds)

You know, I was listening to a podcast, and this psychologist was saying that when we ask that question, why me? Why now? There is some sense of pride. Why me? I deserve better. And I never thought about that. Why me? Why not you? Notice that Job, in the midst of all these things, he keeps talking to God. Those are often words that someone who still believes in in God, who who knows that while he's talking, someone is listening. [00:11:25] (46 seconds)

Notice that Job, in the midst of all these things, he keeps talking to God. Those are often words that someone who still believes in in God, who who knows that while he's talking, someone is listening. You know, sometimes we talk we we we make jokes about it. Well, are you having any complaints? No. Not really. And if so, who who's gonna listen to my complaints? The darkness is real, but Job refuses to be silent in that moment. He refuses to shut his mouth. [00:11:54] (38 seconds)

That hope that you have in Christ is not defined to a place. He's everywhere with you. He's not concealed to that one corner, to that circumstance. He's everywhere, every time, at all times with you. Isn't that great to know that? So what God wants to do is he wants to carry us from a shallow faith to a deeper faith, to a stronger faith. A faith that holds tightly and holds on to God, the creator of all things. [00:07:07] (33 seconds)

So our moments becomes like a a fire that that that pures whatever is now needed in our lives and leaves what's needed, faith. And as hard as that sounds, the pain of painful events of our lives can refine us. I don't know about you, but I have been through a lot of things in my life, and I'm sure you have. And when when I look back, I didn't know how I made it through. [00:06:19] (32 seconds)

I don't know about you, but I have been through a lot of things in my life, and I'm sure you have. And when when I look back, I didn't know how I made it through. It was only the grace of God. But here I am with my limitations sharing with you how God loves you. And this hope carries you from from from from any place that you go. That hope that you have in Christ is not defined to a place. He's everywhere with you. [00:06:40] (34 seconds)