One day Satan told God (this is a real story in Job 1) that Job only served God because God had a “hedge of protection” around Job so Satan couldn’t touch him. He accuses God of making life easy for Job so that he “serves God for nothing”. He meant, there is no test to see if Job’s loyalty is true.
Have you ever met people like that? They seem to have it made. They have more money but less education than you. They have no diseases and you’ve never even witnessed a bad hair day. They marry beautiful people, have beautiful children, and live in beautiful homes. Life for them seems to be…well, beautiful.
And somehow along your struggle and muddy road you stop and sit down on that rotten stump and wonder, as you look over at them cruising in the convertible; “What about me?” “Am I that bad?” “I try, I love Jesus, serve God, and pursue the truth; but it doesn’t seem to get me anywhere.” “In fact it seems to be open season on me”!
The question – Why must you suffer so much while another (an equal) seems to suffer so little? Is God haphazardly or randomly singling people out for blessing or cursing?
Somehow you know that can’t be the answer. Job tells us that he learns that “no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (42:1-2). God does have a purpose and through the Word we come to understand that suffering plays the great role of shaping us to be like Jesus. Remember, it is the “fellowship of His sufferings” that brings the “power of His resurrection”. And that is what Paul said it would take to “know Jesus” (Phil. 3:10).
The question now really is: Which would you rather have – easy living or deeper knowing?
Don’t answer that right now. But remember today as you trudge – In eternity the truth about you will be: The smaller the “hedge” the greater the glory.
…we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. 2 Cor 4:8-10,16-17
Reposting a comment I made on i’ve got a lot to say…
No doubt about it! God is good— good to good people, good to the good-hearted.
But I nearly missed it,
missed seeing his goodness.
I was looking the other way,
looking up to the people
At the top,
envying the wicked who have it made,
Who have nothing to worry about,
not a care in the whole wide world.
…
When I was beleaguered and bitter,
totally consumed by envy,
I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox
in your very presence.
I’m still in your presence,
but you’ve taken my hand.
You wisely and tenderly lead me,
and then you bless me.
You’re all I want in heaven!
You’re all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,
God is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart!
Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again.
But I’m in the very presence of God—
oh, how refreshing it is!
I’ve made Lord God my home.
God, I’m telling the world what you do! Psalm 73:1-5, 21-28(the Message)
Wow… great words Brad… thanks!
I am guessing some of what you said is rhetorical in nature as you have a beautiful wife and family!!
As for the rest, your words couldn’t be more timely for me today. That last few things God has helped me with (literally delivered me from) the SAME day has met with more opposition that brings more suffering and laboring in prayer for God to hear me. Today is no different!!
You will accumulate many hits from me on this one… I will come back for more often to read if for more encouragement!!
Maybe all christians have the same hedge around them, and the one Job had was something special God did just for him. The Bible says that no man can pluck them (His children)out of His hands. All things come through Gods loving hands, but our perception is tainted because we are human and can’t see the big picture. He showers us with His very best, but sometimes we get confused by the packaging. God tells us we will suffer, and that it is for a purpose, and when it happens we act like there must have been a mistake somewhere. God doesn’t make mistakes. That doesn’t mean we won’t draw contrast with others around us from time to time. We usually do when self gets in the way. I think it boils down to contentment. If like Paul we can say no matter what state I am in I will choose to be content, then that levels the playing field. If one is truely content with the stump, and the other truely content with the convertable, then they must be thinking about something other than stuff, or self. When you see everything you have (good or bad)as a blessing from Gods own hand then you can be truely content. I like what Paul said, “I must decrease so Christ can increase”.