ANSWERS

Why doesn't God allow me to see the reasons why things happen to me?

God's Response:
There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless - a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
Job 1:1

[Job] said, "I came naked from my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!" In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
Job 1:21-22

Our Takeaway:
As you read the book of Job, you have information that the characters of the story do not. Job had lost virtually everything through no fault of his own. As he struggled to understand why all this had happened to him, it became clear that he was not meant to know the reasons. He would have to face life without answers and explanations. As a result, Job learned to trust God even when he didn't understand God's ways.

You and I must learn to live as Job did - one day at a time and without answers to all life's questions. It is in that way that you and I, like Job, will learn to trust God no matter what.

God's Challenge:
The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?
Proverbs 20:24

Big T's Thought To Ponder:
I remember the first time I read the book of Job, I remember thinking two things - Lord Father please don't ever use me in the same examples you used Job; I can't even begin to imagine what despair and heart wrenching pain Job must of felt by losing all the ones he loved in life through these tragic events.

Although I have never experienced anything close to resembling the tragic events of Job, we have all experienced some level of tragedy, pain and suffering in our lives. Maybe for some of us there has been Job felt trials and losses - where do we turn when we are hurting most?

I can only relate to Job's story, in that sometimes life brings unbearable circumstances for all of us, maybe not to the extent of Job - But life can, does and will bring life shattering hurt, pain and unfairness that we don't and can't possibly handle or comprehend on our own strength and God warns us these things are coming.

Right after I came to trust Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I remember all kinds of trials pouring into my life and I remember thinking to myself - "wait a minute, is this what being a Christian is all about? And if it is, how do I opt out?"

That first year or so was tough:

I had just recently made a decision for Christ and was coming home from the hospital - being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes at 387 lbs., with serious drug and alcohol dependency issues and a 3-pak a day smoking habit and a very physical coming to know Jesus experience - this is where it all started.

After getting real truthful with my wife about my secret life and 17 years of extra marital affairs and a 25 year cocaine addiction - this made things quite uncomfortable around the house for a season of time; God healed this and gave us oneness with Him...

God striped my business down to the nub - from 26 full time employees down to 2, forced to layoff my brother & both my parents and then informed by my banker that we were insolvent; God is healing this and is restoring His ministry here...

My 27 year old son Zack was just lockup after he went MIA on a out-of-town floor installation due to a binge on methamphetamine and ended up being sentenced to 20 years in an 8'x 8' prison cell; God is healing and using this for His good...

The IRS came in without notice and levied our bank accounts and attached my 401k, basically our life saving gone in a flash; God has provided abundantly...

Our bank notified us that they were foreclosing on our rental house and my paychecks were sporadic at best; God always supplies all we need to do all he asks...

My wife was shot at in a random drive by shooting while driving down US-41 and before the police report was drafted, we were notified that her mom was being rushed to emergency for multiple blood transfusions due to her alcohol addiction and a sorosis of the liver diagnosis; God is healing this...

We were trying to support my father in-law whom was struggling with a life long, life threatening alcohol addiction and living at the local Salvation Army - he needed to move in with us because his living arrangement has suddenly changed; God uses us when we let Him, He is healing this...

And it seemed that I was being persecuted by about everyone I knew for walking out of their lives and into this new life of serving God - Wow, what next Lord! we are made a new creation, old passed away and all things become new - God is all we need...

What I can testify to through my witness, was that through every storm and trial I noticed one common tread - Jesus Christ our loving Savior. He was in the midst of every moment working all things for good in my life; He never leave us of forsakes us...

Somewhere in all these trials and troubles, He shared several of His Truths with me, "these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world".
John 33:16

Anyone that has trouble, trails, pain from tragedy in their life today - wrap yourself in this truth and know that He is God and He can and will overcome all these things in our lives - Job knew about that remaining and abiding in Christ and we have the same Truths today as Job had then.
John 15:1-11

A final verse to ponder today: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness"...
Lamentations 3:22-23

We are blessed beyond our imaginations!