Different reactions to suffering (II)

 

As promised last week, here are three other possible reactions towards suffering.

3) God is causing me to suffer!

Here was Job’s reaction. Every time he opened his mouth, it was to say in short: ''I know I'm right; I did nothing; I am ready to go to court with God: I will definitely win the case. I am crushed without reason.'' We do not see any mea culpa; just a guy full of his self-righteousness: a Pharisee before the time. At the end, the Lord asked him: “Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?” (Vs. 40.8) What nerve! Yet, many of us are like that: “Why is this happening to Me?” (In other words, “why is God doing this to the righteous and innocent ME?”)

4) God is Just and Good!

This was Elihu’s attitude; he was a young man who came with Job’s friends but had remained silent out of the respect he had for his elders. He says in substance: “I don’t know what’s happening; I don’t understand everything; but at least, I know and can understand that God is Just and Good. He does everything for a purpose. He is using this ordeal to teach me something: I’d better stay quiet and try to comprehend what it is.” The bible tells us that He only has plans of peace and happiness for us and that ALL He does is to secure our future and give us hope (Jer 29:11). And also, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Ps 34.8) God doesn’t change: He is immutable: He is GOOD before our misfortunes, He remains GOOD during our sufferings and He is identically GOOD after our pains. God is GOOD!

5) It is the work of the devil!

This is the last and probably the most common reaction; it is the cheapest excuse: “I do not know what got into me, the devil made me...” We often blame him for things he is absolutely not responsible of. Curiously, neither Job nor his wife nor his friends incriminated him whereas they did have good reasons to do so!

Let us draw inspiration from Jesus; He never cursed God nor called anything that happened to Him 'unfair’. He rather discerned and judged every situation accurately. Indeed, after relieving them from their suffering, He said to some: “Go and sin no more, lest something worse happens to you.” About someone who was born blind, He said that his blindness was a result of sin but was to glorify God (Jn 9). Elsewhere, He accused Satan of binding a daughter of Abraham for 18 years and released her (Lk 13:16). Finally, at Gethsemane, though He was terrified of what laid ahead, He relied on God: "Father, I do not want to drink of this cup; I don’t see why I have to go through this terrible ordeal; however, I know that You are Good; I know Your Wisdom and I know You love me above all: not my will but Thine be done."

Job 36:21, “Be careful! Don't turn to evil, because you have chosen evil instead of suffering.”

Be and remain blessed!

Different reactions to suffering

 

The theme of suffering is one of the biggest obstacles in the field of evangelization: "If God exists, why is there suffering?"And they give you a long string of 'unacceptable' miseries to show that He does not exist or else He is a very wicked man. I will not get into this debate today; but will focus instead on how we usually respond to suffering from the Book of Job, I want to .

Job was a righteous man. His integrity was such that God boasted about it to the devil who replied that it was normal because he had been abundantly blessed. To prove him wrong, the Lord allowed him to attack Job. In no time, Job lost his wealth and children and to top it all, he was also afflicted with a loathsome disease: he was covered with boils from head to toes. Faced with all his misfortunes, his loved ones had a variety of responses that are fairly representative of how we tend to react to the suffering.

1) Curse God and die!

This was his wife’s reaction and it’s the reaction of many people: ''What good is there serving a God so unfair? I don’t deserve this; He has no right to do this to me; enough is enough!'' This attitude refuses to understand; it’s the attitude of those who believe that everything must always be for the better (I would even say THEIR best) in the brave new world. The truth is that you can curse God as much as you want, it doesn’t stop Him from being God. And if you eventually die, whether you believe in Him or not, you will still find yourself in front of Him: you can’t get away from Him.

2) Confess your sin!

This was the reaction of Job’s three friends. In other words, “You are suffering like that because you have sinned; you must have done something wrong because God never punishes the righteous. Confess your sin and everything will go back to normal.” We really need to erase the equation ‘suffering = sin’ from our heads: Job, Joseph, Daniel, Jesus and the apostles endured terrible sufferings not because of their unrighteousness, but because of their justice. This said, Job’s friends’ view of things gives a truncated image of God. It portrays Him as a bogeyman and removes the love factor in the relationship we have with Him. We no longer have to love Him; we just have to avoid making Him angry and He’ll bless us in return. No wonder He told one of them, Eliphaz, “lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right…” (Job 42:8)

Don’t miss out next week’s posting; we will continue with the last three attitudes towards suffering.

Have a wonderblessed week!

What do you fear?

 

Job 3:25-26, “For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes." The KJV goes, “I was not in safety, nor did I have rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble comes.”

If 2012 is to be our year of miracles, then 2012 should also be the year of the crucifixion of all our fears. Indeed, there are no miracles without faith, and fear is the antithesis of faith. As long as Peter walked by faith, he walked on water; but when he started walking by sight, he panicked and began to sink. Faith made him walk on water (like Jesus); fear made him sink (like anybody). We must get rid of all our fears.

The Bible tells us that each time his children gathered to have a party, Job would sanctify them when the party was over and would offer sacrifices to appease the Lord, saying: “may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” (Job 1:5) Some will say: “Wow! What a loving and thoughtful father!” And they will admire his exceptional piety. However, Job’s attitude was not motivated by faith, but by fear. He was appeasing God in advance, lest He gets angry and strikes. He lived in fear of the wrath of God and was afraid of losing everything. You know there are people like that? God has given them 'everything', as they say; but they cannot rest in their blessings, they cannot just feel safe and relax: “Who am I to deserve all this? Maybe I'm dreaming and I'll wake up and everything will be gone? Oh, these cars and this money that God has given me; what if the thieves… What if the bank goes bankrupt? What if…? What if…?” Job was like that: he was not in safety, he had no rest and trouble came. His worst fears materialized themselves: the nightmare became reality and he lost everything…

What do you fear? What are you afraid of?

Faith activates certain spiritual forces (including angels) which produce certain actions. Fear also, triggers other spiritual forces (often from darkness) which set off specific actions too. I know someone who was afraid to have a form of cancer since adolescence. Lo and behold, this person developed that cancer without any genetic, familial or environmental predisposition for it! The person just got up one day, started dreading ever having that cancer and a few years were just what it took for it to incubate. I don’t even want to talk about those who tremble any time that their horoscope is not positive.

The worst thing is that when what we feared eventually happens, we seldom realize what our own responsibility in all that is. We rather tend to say: “I knew it was going to end like this; I felt it.” Or, “It was written that…” And unfortunately, this takes us into a vicious circle. I dread something which ends up happening anyway; therefore, I interpret it as if my fears are premonitory and a disaster is on the way; so, because I expect another calamity, I loose my sleep and my peace; and of course, a new drama knocks at my door and here we go again.

What do you fear? What are you afraid of?

When I learned to drive, after the usual: belt, mirrors, right holding of the steering wheel etc., the first thing the instructor told me after I started the car was to always keep my eyes fixed on where I wanted to steer the vehicle. He explained to me that the hands (on the steering wheel) follow the direction of our gaze by reflex. And it’s true; I crossed-checked it. If when you drive, you start to focus on the truck on your right because you're scared of a collision, you’ll imperceptibly lead your car towards it and run against it.

So it goes in the spiritual world. If you drive the car of your life with your eyes fixed on the Lord, you’ll get to your destination because He knows where He is leading you: He masters the way. But if you drive the car of your life with your eyes fixed on fear, you will hit all the obstacles and bump all the trucks terrifying you on the road: you might not come alive of one of these accidents. Let’s get rid of all our fears before the end of this month of January: 2012 is waiting for us!

God bless you!

The power of restitution

 

Genesis 32 and 33 tell the story of the reunion of Jacob and Esau, twin brothers who had not seen each other for about twenty years. In fact, Jacob had to flee from the wrath of a brother that he had betrayed. It is true Esau had been rather inconsequent; but it was not enough to justify the craftiness of his brother. Esau may not have measured the scope of his actions when he exchanged his birthright for a soup, but Jacob knew what he was doing and even added to his deceit by stealing the father’s blessing. After this, Esau swore his death and Jacob had to run away (Gen 25.29-34, Gen 27).

Time had passed; but in spite of his wives, children and wealth, Jacob had obviously never found peace. Indeed, on his way back to his country, when he heard that Esau was coming to meet him, he got scared and prayed: “Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.” (Gen 32:7 & 11). When you’ve hurt someone, you know it; and even if nobody knows about it, you fear to meet with that person.

The rest of the story is in Genesis 33. Esau seemed to have completely forgotten what drove them apart; instead, he took his brother in his arms and cried: he had missed Jacob. We often think that the people we have offended are still angry against us while they have long since forgotten and moved on. Esau told Jacob: "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself." (33:9) The same God who had promised him through his father that he would break his brother’s yoke from his neck, had enlarged and blessed him.

Anyway, Jacob attributed the success of their meeting to a specific spiritual principle. As he feared for his life and that of his children, he decided to send Esau 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 milking camels and their calves, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys; thus, a total of 550 animals in order to appease his brother (vs. 32:20) ! He told him: “…Receive my present at my hand: forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.” He had learned that “a man's gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.” (Prov 18:16).

The spiritual principle in question is that of restitution. The Law required to the one who was guilty of perjury or theft to make restitution in full and add one fifth to it; i.e. 120% (Lev 6:5, Nu 5:6-7). In the New Testament, Zacchaeus did even better and decided to make a fourfold restoration (400%) to those he had defrauded of anything. Because of this gesture, and even though people were still calling him names, Jesus declared that salvation had entered into his house as he was indeed a true son of Abraham (Lk 19:1-10). This same Jesus will later tell some other Jews who were convinced they were the children of the patriarch that they were rather the sons of the devil (Jn 8:39-44)! ‘Pious’ guys are sons of the devil and a sinner is a son of Abraham: the first will really be the last...

Jacob had deprived Esau of his birthright; yet, the eldest son was entitled to a double portion of the inheritance. The 550 beasts he offered to his brother were his way of making restitution. He couldn’t have paid 120% of what he defrauded because this happened before the promulgation of the Law of Moses; but the spirit of restitution that had led him was enough to redeem and help him find favour with Esau, inasmuch as it was enough to ‘sanctify’ Zacchaeus.

2012 will be a year of miracles and grace; but we will not go very far and won’t see many miracles if we do not settle all our accounts. Indeed, the Lord told us to go and reconcile with our brethren before bringing our offering to the altar (Mat 5:23-24).

2012 is far too precious for us to let anything deprive us of what it has to offer: let’s ask for forgiveness from those that we have offended; let’s pay our debts and let’s make restitution to those that we may have cheated. If we do not have the means to pay, let’s pray the Lord who searches the hearts and sees our sincerity, to give us the means to do so: He will do it.

God bless you and once again, Happy New Year!

A plea for the knowledge of God

 

I trust you had a great time during Christmas and New Year’s Eve. As for me, these where amongst the best, if not the best I had for many years. There was a wonderful atmosphere of peace and joy around me; and to crown it all, between the 29th and the 31st, God literally sat me down and gave me answers and explanations to questions that my husband and I had. I still have goose bumps when I think of it. I had even already decided to seek God’s face and understanding in fasting and was about to start; but finally, it wasn’t even necessary. Make no mistake: God is GOOD! I experienced what happened to Daniel when the angel told him: “From the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Dan 10:12)

Anyway, it is now 3 days that the topic of this posting came into my heart as I was looking for what to share with you at the beginning of this year. If you have been following me for sometime now, you know that the theme of the knowledge of God is very dear to me. It is written in Daniel 11:32 that: “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (KJV)

2012 has been prophetically declared in my church, a year of miracles; the year of supernatural. Since the Spirit of God cannot be contained in one place, I am convinced that even where you are, if you believe and make this prophecy yours, you’ll also see many miracles in 2012. However, the verse above tells us that it takes more than naming and claiming to receive; it tells us that it is only those who DO know their God who will be strong and do exploits; i.e. they only will see the miracles promised. The knowledge of God is a must: we can’t do without it.

The LORD sadly said: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Os 4:6) And the world paraphrased: “Ignorance kills.” If you cross the street when the presidential procession is passing; or if you do not stop at a red traffic light, you can explain as much as you can and wish that you did not know it was forbidden, you will still be arrested. Indeed, “Nobody is supposed to ignore the Law.” And God said: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you... And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Ho 4:6) 

Ignoring, forgetting or despising God’s law can have terrible consequences which directly affect our destiny. Indeed, Jesus said that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” And He gave the definition of what eternal life is Himself; He said: “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (Jn 3:16; 17:3) It is far more than going to heaven: it is knowing God. If we know Him, we enter in and we already live in eternity. You may hav your own definition of eternal life; as for me, I’d rather stick to the LORDS’s. We can then say that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish (by lack of knowledge) but know Him and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.” Christ Jesus died that we may KNOW God.

It is important to know the LORD. He prefers steadfast love to sacrifice; and the knowledge of God to burnt offerings (Ho 6:6). Natural life should teach us. We know very well that even amongst children, those who know their parents better –what they like and dislike– and who behave themselves accordingly, are always the favourites. Their brothers and sisters always have to go through them to ask certain things from Daddy or Mummy because they always say yes to them. How can we then expect things to be different in God’s own family?

“Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Ho 6:3) His going out in 2012 is sure as the dawn; and I am not talking about useless end of the world prophecies. If Jesus Himself in his flesh could not give a precise date for the end of the world, then no other human being will ever be able to do it. That day will come like a thief in the night and will take everybody by surprise (Mat 24:36 & 25:13, 1Th 5:2, 2Pe 3:10, Rev 3:3).

So, the LORD’s going out in 2012 is sure as the dawn; and He will come to us as the spring rains that water the earth. This rain prepares the soil for the harvest. In other words, there is no doubt that the LORD has set out for us and has a harvest of miracles with Him. His coming into our lives in 2012 is a certain as the dawn and miracles as well…if only we know Him or press on to know Him through the reading and meditation of His Word (Bible, sermons, Bible, Bible, Bible and Bible again) and prayer (prayer, fasting, retreats, prayer, prayer and prayer again). Those are the conditions under which we will do exploits and take part in the miracles promised.

I want to leave us with this declaration of the LORD and I pray it becomes our compass in 2012 :

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." (Jer 9:23-24)

 

Do take time to read these articles: ‘In quest of esotericism’ (I & II) teaches that there is knowledge and knowledge, and discernment is needed in our quest for knowledge; and ‘The Perfect Gentleman’ which will reassure you that you can trust any and every promise that God has given you for 2012: He is the perfect Gentleman.

Happy New Year!