WHY WOULD AN ALL-POWERFUL, loving God allow evil to exist? That’s one of the oldest questions facing humankind, and the question lying at the heart of the book of job. Satan comes before God to suggest that Job worships God only because of His kindness to him. Satan implies that if God were to remove His blessings from Job’s life, the man would renounce his faith and denounce God. So God allows Satan to put Job to the test. In a single day, Job’s livestock, his servants and his sons and daughters all die. In addition, sores break out all over Job’s body. Job’s wife tells her husband to “curse God and die” (2:9), but Job responds with the profound question, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (2:10). Three friends eventually come by to offer Job a variety of explanations for his personal tragedy; these conversations make up the majority of the book. Finally, God speaks directly to Job (37:1), showing him that the best way to face tragic events is with faith.
A kind and loving God remains in control, working out His plan for our good and His glory. When we face tragedies, we must remember that a sovereign God remains in control. We may never understand His purposes in this life, but we can trust Him. As Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (19:25,26)
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