When Life HurtsSmakprov

How to suffer well

How do you hold on to your faith in God when life is falling apart? When you feel alone at school or devastated after your husband’s death or confused by all the suffering God is allowing, how do you worship him still?

Job knows. After losing all 11,500 of his animals and all 10 of his precious children, Job fell to the ground in worship. He said: “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” (Job 1:21).

Job didn’t accuse God of being unloving, because Job believed that he was just a guy living between two naked days. He didn’t come out of his mother’s womb with 3,000 camels (that would have been something!). He wasn’t a kid born with 10 of his own kids. He came into the world with nothing. Which means that God had given him everything. That belief allowed Job to suffer well.

Do you believe that too? Do you believe that everything good in your life is a gift from God, a gift he has every right (in his kindness) to give and every right (in his wisdom) to take away? Your home, your health, your family, your friends, your plans, your dreams. You didn’t come out of the womb with anything, which means God is the true owner of everything.

Believe that and you will be ready to suffer well, holding on to the name that is worthy of all your praise.