My Redeemer LivesSýnishorn

A Good Man Destroyed

The storms of life come to everyone, sooner or later. Good, bad, young, old. Everyone suffers in some way. 

God didn’t even spare His own Son from that. Jesus, the Son of God who’d never done a single thing wrong in His life, died an excruciating death for you and me. Now if that doesn’t show us that bad things happen to good people, I don’t know what does! 

Sometimes we suffer as a result of our own mistakes, but more often than not, the suffering that hits our lives is completely unfair. No rhyme or reason. It just happens. 

And while we’re asking ourselves why – and while we’re asking God why, and when it will end – it’s in the middle of that dark place that we need to know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that My Redeemer Lives.

Those words were first uttered by a man called Job in the Old Testament. Job was a wealthy, successful guy. He’d never set a foot wrong in his life. Always honoured God and then, one day, whammo! Let’s read:

“The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?… You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!’” (Job 1:6–12)

And as the story goes on, Job loses everything. His property, his children, his wife, his health… everything.

So, let me ask you, when you face suffering in your life, how do you react? What does it do to your sense of self-worth and wellbeing?

I’ll leave that question hanging there for you to consider and we’ll come back to it next time. 

But for now, think about this. Suffering happens; and when it does, when we’re right in the middle of a situation like that, you and I need answers.

The good news, my friend, is that God has them. Real answers that make a real difference. 

Life Application Questions:

• Have you seen bad things happen to good people in your life and struggled to understand why? What conclusion did you come to?
• Read Job’s story in the Old Testament. It’s the story we’ll focus on throughout this plan. As you read, jot down some notes on what resonates in your heart.
• Think back to the last time you, or someone you loved, went through a difficult time in life and suffered in some way. How did you respond?
• Did you ask God for answers in those moments? What response did you receive?