I read something interesting yesterday about the book of Job. It’s a difficult book to read through, because so many people read it wanting to know the “whys” of what happened. I think all of us want to know why something bad happens. Why are we going through this painful trial? Why do we have to hurt so bad? We want to know why so that we can take measures to avoid any future pain or difficulty. Or, we want to fix the pain, make it go away, start the healing process in our mind and body. We want to get back to the Garden of Eden.
The book of Job was not given to us to teach us why bad things happen to us. Rather, it is our instructional book on how to respond when bad things happen to us.
Let me encourage you today to lay aside all efforts and energy to find out “why” this trial is happeing to you. Rather, take that same energy and effort to draw close to God through Jesus. The Bible promises us that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8).
