Sovereignty Over Suffering
READ
Job, God’s loyal servant and friend, had everything stripped from him: his family, his possessions, and his health. Under the heavy weight of grief and loss, Job felt hopeless, alone, and angry. In his desperation, he did what only the most faithful among us dare to do: he wrestled with God. He brought his questions and unfiltered emotions before the Lord, confident that he would not be turned away. Job’s life serves as a powerful testimony that doubt is a genuine expression of faith.
Job’s story brings to the forefront one of the most profound questions in the Christian life: How can God be good and perfectly loving when the world is so full of evil, darkness, and sorrow? When Job dares to question God’s goodness in view of his suffering, he receives an unexpected answer. God’s response challenges us to reframe our pain in light of His sovereignty and power.
Let’s take a moment to read Job 38:4:
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.”
REFLECT
When we suffer, our natural instinct is to ask God, ‘Why?’ In the midst of our anguish, we cannot comprehend how our hurt could possibly be redeemed. In our limited, finite purview, our trials seem fruitless. Our pain feels pointless. Our circumstances feel like evidence that God is cruel and uncaring.
God doesn’t always offer us immediate or comprehensive insight into how our trials fit into His redemptive plan. But this doesn’t mean He leaves us without comfort, peace, and reassurance. When we struggle, He urges us to reflect on His mighty power and sovereignty over all things. He reminds us to meditate on a sobering Truth: He is God, and we are not.
God has the authority to direct our lives in whatever way He sees fit. The good news is that He promises to leverage even our suffering for His glory and the good of His people. When we are met with indescribable pain, we must remember that only God sees the full picture. We see a mere sliver of the beautiful, eternal story He is writing.
In His grace, God reminds Job to look to the natural world in order to find solace in his suffering. Today, we are called to do the same: to look beyond our immediate circumstances and gain a broader perspective on Who God is and what He’s capable of. In our hurt, we can rest and remember that the same God Who put the stars in the heavens is Lord over every detail of our lives. The God Who spoke the world into existence, Who raised up the mountains, Who designed wondrous creatures yet undiscovered—He is in control, and He will not let us be overcome by the power of sin or death. He is a good Father, and He will not let our suffering go unredeemed.
In the end, God’s purposes are bigger than our pain. The momentary suffering we now experience is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed through us (Romans 8:18)! When we struggle, we may not always understand what God is doing. But we can always remind our souls to trust that He is God, He is in control, and He knows what is best for us.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
How have you seen God bring healing, light, or blessings out of past suffering?
Do you trust that God can—and will—redeem your pain?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Mighty God, thank You for reminding me that You are in control, even when everything around me seems to be falling apart. Thank You for reassuring me that You are bigger than my trials and more powerful than my pain. Lord, help me to trust in Your goodness and sovereignty, even when I cannot understand why You are allowing me to walk through darkness. God, meet me in my hurt, doubt, and lack of understanding. Give me boldness to wrestle with You, to be genuine before You in my anguish. Revive my faith and give me relief from my suffering, according to Your perfect will and timing. You know best, and You have my best interest at heart. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.