“It is not
the function of religion to answer all questions about God’s moral government
of the universe, but to give courage (through faith) to go on in the face of
questions a man never finds the answers to in his present status.” (Elder
Harold B. Lee, Church News, as quoted by Keith H. Meservy, “Job: Yet
Will I Trust In Him”, pp 139-53)
Job’s life
is the prime example of the reality that God allows bad things to happen to
good people. A lot of people ask why and finding no understanding, come to
reject God and his principle of faith.
I know this place. Since I joined the Church in my youth I naively
believed that if I was obedient to the commandments that I will be happy and
all will be well in my life. I didn’t take into consideration so many
variables: the nature of this fallen world, the purpose of mortality, and the
necessity for this testing ground. I remember some years ago I was complaining
to God about my trials at hand when I heard a voice say to me: “was it you or I
who suffered at Calvary?”
Perhaps the better question would be: If Christ, the only sinless and
perfect man had to be subjected to this world of suffering, then why not us? Besides,
the excruciating Atonement He went through, He experienced tragedy and sorrow
throughout His life: members of His family did not accept Him as the Messiah at
first (John 7:5); people in His hometown sought to kill Him (Luke 4:16-30); His
countrymen rejected His messianic calling (John 1:11); one friend betrayed Him,
another denied knowing Him (Luke 22:48, 54-62); all His disciples forsook Him
and fled (Matt 25:56); His enemies demanded His crucifixion (Matt 27:22-23). Is
this not a life of difficulty?
It was
believed anciently that suffering only comes upon the wicked and that it is God
given as punishment. When Jesus healed a man blind from birth, His disciples
asked Him: “Master, who did sin, this man or his parents that he was born
blind?” Jesus answered that neither
sinned and that the purpose of the man’s blindness was for the ‘works of God to
be manifest in him’ (John 9:2,3). So with all of us, there is obviously a
purpose for whatever we are afflicted with that is not of our doing.
I rather
think that Job had to learn this lesson. His friends accused him of being
sinful in some way to have ended up in such extreme suffering. Job defended his
integrity (Job 27:6), knowing full well he did not sin but he must have
wondered why he was not spared. This made him question if he did really commit
some sin so he begged the Lord to reveal it to him so he could repent (Job 13:23).
While Job did not understand why God permitted his affliction, he would not
judge Him nor lose his faith in Him and could therefore say “let come on me
what will” (Job 13:13).
Besides the test of his faithfulness and trust in
God, Job’s experience offers us further understanding as to why he, a righteous
man, had to suffer. Firstly, all those who desire to come unto Christ have to
experience a portion of his suffering to properly know Him. Job proved this to
be true.....he only knew OF God prior to his suffering but at the end he came
to KNOW God, as he said: "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear:
but now mine eye seeth thee" (Job 42:5). To become like Christ and in the
end receive of His glory, it is needful for us to become partners with Him, in
some small measure, in His sufferings and walk the path He walked. Paul called
this 'the fellowship of his sufferings' (Philippians 3:8-10).
Secondly, the fiery darts that we suffer in
mortality are designed to fit us for exaltation. God would have us become like
Him. For this reason He will allow us to suffer in the refiner's fire that we
might in the end become purified with His image in our countenance (Job 23:10;
Malachi 3:2,3). This is illustrated well in the following story:
"Some time ago, a few women met in a certain
city to study the scriptures. While reading the 3rd Chapter of Malachi, they
came upon a remarkable expression in the 3rd Verse: "And He shall sit as a
refiner and purifier of silver". One woman proposed to visit a silversmith
and report to them on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and
without telling the object of her errand begged the silversmith to tell her
about the process of refining silver.
“After he had fully described it to her, she asked,
"But sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?".
"Oh yes, Madam", replied the silversmith, "I must sit with my
eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be
exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured". The woman
at once saw the beauty, and comfort of the expression, "He shall sit as a
refiner and purifier of silver". God sees it needful to put His children
into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His
wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not
come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.
Before she left, the woman asked one final question, "When do you know the
process is complete?" "Why, that is quite simple", replied the
silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining
process is finished".
Your
watchful eye was over all my trials
So
carefully crafted
With
love and tender care,
The
crucible almost too hard to bear;
Yet
did I worship Thee
Praising
Thy name forever.
You
stood as sentinel to my yielding heart
Knowing
my trust would stand the test of time;
You
crushed the enemy of my soul in the final hour,
Your
glory, Your might, Your unfathomable power.
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