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Why Am I Suffering? by Zoe Bastardi

This question and others like it have been on my mind in recent months. My life has gone through so many changes this past year that it feels like I’m on one big roller coaster. When I feel as though I’ve mastered the ride, there’s suddenly a big drop out of nowhere (I haven’t actually been on a roller coaster, but I’m just guessing what it feels like). COVID-19, issues of racial injustice worldwide, injury, broken relationships, the list goes on. I was starting to wonder where God is in all of this.

My parents got me into the The Bible Recap with Tara-Leigh Cobble at the beginning of this year. I had tried other bible reading plans in the past, but I always found it hard to digest what I was reading. Soon, I was starting the book of Job and listening to the corresponding podcasts and I was like, “Wow, my suffering isn’t on this level, but I can relate to you Job.” God had declared him righteous and blameless in His sight, yet allowed him to be tested by Satan. 

Job was going through it and his friends weren’t helping.

I wanted to understand why God allows us to suffer, but the book of Job doesn’t get to that. I learned that God doesn’t need to justify how He operates the universe, but He is a just God and works according to His own just will. We simply can’t tell Him what the correct definition of justice is because of our incredibly small perspective. It was comforting to me to know that while God allows us to suffer in the already and the not yet, He is in control and He is still with us. I needed the reminder that He is intentional. God wants us to be honest with Him in prayer and trust in His judgement. Let me say humbly as Job said in Job 1:22, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”


Comments

  1. Adrianne ThompsonFebruary 23, 2021 at 8:04 AM

    Zoe!!! Wow. What a beautiful, wise offering. Praise God for your continued growing faith and may it increase more and more. Love, Mrs Thompson

    ReplyDelete
  2. Northside KidsFebruary 24, 2021 at 2:35 AM

    Zoe, what a beautiful gift you have given us in your thoughts and prayers and how God has been been speaking to you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sam VMarch 24, 2021 at 5:32 PM

    "God doesn't need to justify how he operates..." Wow! That is a profound truth. He is right because He is God. Thank you for this reminder sister.

    ReplyDelete

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