Why?
I am pretty sure that on occasion when we feel the world is against us no matter what we do, or events have brought us pain and anguish we have asked the silent question in our mind, why. It’s a standard human response and a subject that has been addressed from the pulpit on a number of occasions, why does God allow bad things to happen to “good people”? While this is not the topic of the lesson I feel that is important to address this question before I move on.
The Heavenly Dentist
I have heard and read various attempts to answer this question, some of which I have understood and some of which have been totally over my head. Researching this lesson I came across this from C.S. Lewis where he talks of events from his youth which I could relate to and that I wanted to share with you.
As a boy he would often be troubled with toothache. As I am sure we have all done in that situation he went to his mum because he hoped that she could give him something to take the pain away, which is a natural thing to do because as a child we have this sixth sense where we know that no matter what our parents can make it better. So his mum would give him a couple of aspirin, comfort him and the pain would subside.
But it doesn’t end there, the next morning she would make an appointment for him at the dentist even if the pain had went away. I don’t know about you but even the thought of the dentist brings me out in a cold sweat because I have had so many bad experiences lying back in that dentists chair. Also, it always seems that no matter what complaint you go to a dentist with they will prod and poke your teeth and always find more wrong than your initial complaint and insist on treating that as well even although you are finding no discomfort from their findings.
Lewis says that when we first come to God it is like that initial hit of aspirin when we have toothache, we feel so much better because we are free of pain and suffering. However he goes on to say that just like a dentist God is not content with a short term fix, he will prod and poke us even cause us pain and suffering with one goal in mind, perfection. He will settle for nothing less, he will see this treatment through to the end no matter what suffering it may bring on us.
Not A lesson on suffering
What follows is not an examination of suffering, it is a look at how and if we can worship through tragedy.
When things are going well for us it is the easiest thing in the world to come to God and offer him our worship because we appreciate all that he has done for us and the blessings that he has bestowed on us to give us a good life. But how do we respond in our worship in the face of tragedy. If anyone was put to task over this question surely it was Job.
Job
One day you wake up and appear to have everything that anyone could ever wish for. A strong relationship with God, a loving and supportive family, respect from your peers and wealth form lucrative businesses which you use to help those less fortunate that yourself. Then bang:
Body blow no1: your live stock has been stolen or wiped-out and all but three of your servants who were watching them put to the sword or wiped out by fire
Body blow no2: your sons and daughters along with all but one of the servants are wiped out when the house they are in collapse on to of them
How would you respond to news like that? This is how Job responded:
1:20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship. 1:21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
Body blow no3: not long after these events you wake up to find that you are covered from head to toe in painful sores
As he sat amongst the ashes after scraping the sores off with a broken piece of pottery his wife said to him:
2:9 "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
2:10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
At first glance Jobs responses to these events seem remarkable statements to make in the face of such tragedy. It appears that he finds no need to question God as to why he was being put through the mill and that his worship of God had not altered due to these events, but the end of verse 2:10 perhaps gives us an inkling that this was not the case where it says that In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
To me that tends to imply that although he may not have voiced it he was perhaps starting to think along the lines of, what have I done to disserve this I have done nothing to warrant these events, so why are they happening to me?
This line of thought unfolds in the majority of the remainder of the book when Jobs three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Shuhite who originally come to comfort him are adamant that Job must have done something to bring down Gods wrath on him and that if he would only just admit to it that he would again find favour with the Lord.
Throughout their discussions Job insists that he did nothing to warrant this treatment from God and he begins to question his relationship with God because he feels that he has fallen out of favour with God:
Job 30:20 “I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me.
Job 30:21 You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me.
Job 30:22 You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; you toss me about in the storm.
Job 30:23 I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.
Job 30:24 “Surely no one lays a hand on a broken man when he cries for help in his distress.
Job 30:25 Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
Job 30:26 Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.
Job 30:27 The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me.
When Job gets a response from God it is not the one that he imagined he has questioned God, now it was Gods turn to question him along the lines of:
Job 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
Job 38:5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
The list of Gods questions go on relentlessly. This can’t have been the response that Job expected.
All of his questions revolved around him, “Job” and that is often a mistake that we make when we think that everything must revolve or be related to us. It’s not about us, it’s about him, it’s always about God. Jobs eyes were opened to if you like the vastness, magnificence and true majesty of God.
Through his suffering he came to know God on a level that he could never have imagined before these events had taken place and as a result his worship of God took on a whole new dynamic. Yes before tragedy struck him he led a good life and had a firm relationship with God but now due to the tragic events that he had to endure he had a much deeper understanding and a more deep-rooted faith in God.
Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.
Job 42:3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
Job 42:4 “You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.'
Job 42:5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Job 42:6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
Conclusion
Take a moment to think of your own life. In times of need you know that there have been people around you who have stood up and helped you through the rough times, sometimes even people who you would have not expected it from. In such circumstances strong friendships are formed that can withstand anything that is thrown at them.
Its exactly the same with our relationship with God. We think that we know him when things are on the up but when the chips are down that’s when we catch a glimpse of his true majesty and we come to realise really just how utterly, utterly dependant on him we are and new and deeper bonds of faith are formed that can withstand anything that is thrown at them.
Remember it is not God has stopped caring when we face tragic events
Isa 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out
He only wants for us what we say that we want to aspire to and that is to be perfect in his sight. For me that is an aim worthy of the highest worship.