Purpose in the Pain

“But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man. You prevail forever against him, and he passes; you change his countenance, and send him away.” Job 14:18-20

Just before these verses, Job longs for God to protect him and renew him. Yet, here in his complaints, he unknowingly speaks truth about his situation. As the water’s constant torrent wears away the edges of the stone making it smooth, so do trials wear away our rough edges and change our countenance to be more like that of Christ.

It’s interesting to me how the same lessons keep cycling around, always timely, always true. The last two years of my life have been filled with indescribable trials, and if I’m honest with you, I’ve struggled with God over what He’s allowed into my life; the whys, the hows,  the what ifs, even the “not fairs.” However, we serve a BIG God who understands we are dust. He is patient, kind, and faithful even when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:13). 

We have a Father who loves us despite our fears, short-sighted desires, and tantrums. He gently guides us, lovingly disciplines us, and eagerly meets us where we are. He draws us into his arms and comforts us when we are weary. He fills us with faith when our faith is small. Though He does not need to prove anything, His intentional movement in our lives proves His character is beyond reproof. He is a good, good Father! 

Oswald Chambers said, “Faith by it’s very nature must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character has to be cleared in our own minds…faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him – I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” – This is the most sublime utterance of faith in the whole of the Bible.”

Though at times we may feel as Job did, that God is wearing us down, we must instead see His loving hands reshaping us into the image of His Son through the trial and hope in Christ, not despairing in our circumstances no matter how grim they seem in the moment (Romans 8:28).

God’s purposes are eternal, both for His kingdom and for His children. He doesn’t change us just to leave us or send us away empty handed. He moves even closer to us through the process and abides with us after, ever faithful, ever loving, ever true!