Pastor Elwin Ahu
October 23, 2005 - W0543

Ever had a bad day or a bad week? You may even feel that life is unfair. Sometimes we feel like we’ve tried to do all the right things, yet something always seems to get in the way of things turning out the way we want it to. It’s as if we all have an internal compass that tells us what is fair or unfair in a situation, but really it’s our own perception of what is consistent with what we believe is fair.

We like to believe that if we do the right thing, only good things will happen to us and to those around us. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. For instance, we may sacrifice so much of our life to raise a child only for them to rebel against all our beliefs. We may lose our job after years of loyalty. A spouse may unexpectedly ask for a divorce even after all the years you’ve devoted to that marriage. When life seems so unfair, we experience a spiritual meltdown.

The Bible speaks about this very issue in the Book of Job. It illustrates how life can really be unfair and most importantly what lesson it teaches us.

Job was a blameless, righteous, reverent and wealthy man. He had a good family and was a great father. However, unbeknownst to him, Satan challenged God saying Job was faithful to God only because God had blessed him with so much wealth. So God allowed Satan to take everything from Job. Still, Job never sinned. And that wasn’t the end of it because Job eventually lost his entire family and was even inflicted with painful boils that covered his entire body. Yet in all his pain and suffering, Job was faithful to the Lord. How many of us would be able to withstand that kind of loss and not want to give up and even curse God?

Job was the least likely person we’d expect to suffer so much loss. His friends could not understand it. Even his wife could not understand. In fact, this was her response to Job: “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ [Job] replied, ‘You are talking like foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” (Job 2:9-10 NIV) Thus despite all his troubles, Job remained faithful to God and in the end God blessed him with even more than he had before. He even blessed Job with more children.

The lesson for us today is even when life seems so unbearable; stay true in our devotion to the Father. How do we get that kind of faith? Here are three truths that will help us develop a life devoted to God. The first is…

1.     WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CHOOSE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WE CAN CHOOSE OUR RESPONSE.

How we respond to circumstances is really up to us. It’s a matter of attitude. Let’s take a look at a man named Roger Crawford.  He was a public speaker, consultant, author, and even a tennis professional. He was a very accomplished and successful man. However, he was born handicapped. He had no hands and only one foot. He was born with a condition called ectrodactylism. It’s a condition that produces a thumb-like projection extending out of his right forearm. There was a thumb and a finger growing out of his left forearm. He has no palms and his legs and arms were shortened. On his left leg was a shrunken foot with three toes which was later amputated. The medical professionals told his parents he would never walk or live a normal life. Unconvinced of that prognosis, they were determined to give Roger the best possible chance of living a normal and independent life. So his parents taught him that he was only as handicapped as he allowed himself be. Thus growing up, he worked hard finding ways to do things other kids did including participating in a variety of sports.

Yet although Roger always thought positively, he did not fully appreciate all his parents had done for him until one day a man called wanting to meet him. When they met at the restaurant, he was surprised to find that the man also had the same condition as he did.  Roger was so excited because he thought this man was someone who could mentor him throughout his life. Yet after a few minutes in conversation with this man, Roger was soon disappointed to discover how terribly bitter and pessimistic his new friend was about his handicap. He complained how unfair life had treated him. His friend dwelled on blaming all his unhappiness on his handicap, other people, and the circumstances around him. Roger came to realize that even if a miracle cured his friend and made him normal, he would still be unhappy because his attitude would not be cured.

The difference in the lives of people like Job and Roger in which life seems so unfair is their attitude. You see, we may not be able to control everything that happens in life, but we can control your attitude.  And it is really God’s desire for us. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16) God is more concerned about what’s happening within us than without for He is in control of all things. However, the only thing He will not control is our choice because He has given all of us free will. Therefore, our response to the circumstances of life is really a choice we make.

So how do we respond? The Apostle Paul explains: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Phil 4:11-12 NIV) It’s really a learned discipline, isn’t it! It is a choice we must make because God will take care of things around us. Our responsibility is to respond rightly. That’s why he says: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4)

Now this does not mean to rejoice over your painful circumstances, but to rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in His power, love, and promises. There are over 7,000 promises in the Bible. Do we really believe in those promises? Though we may often wonder why difficult and often tragic circumstances happen ...

2.     THE REAL ISSUE IN OUR SUFFERING ISN’T ABOUT “WHO” OR “WHY;” THE REAL ISSUE IS ABOUT WHAT.”

When tough situations arise, we often question God and ask ‘why me’ and dwell on our suffering. However, our responsibility is one thing and that is to love Him despite our circumstances. Therefore the question is not why, but what can we do to love our Lord even in the midst of the circumstances we find ourselves in. And yes, even in the midst of a fire.

The Bible tells about three faithful men unjustly sentenced to be burned alive in a huge furnace for not worshipping the idols of the land. They held on to the belief that their God would save them and said, “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”(Dan. 3:18) Talk about faith! They were thrown into the fire, but when the guards peered into the furnace they saw four men not three and they were still alive and unhurt. Yes, the fourth person was the Lord himself.

You see, sometimes we have to be in the fire to meet God. He will allow us to go through those times in the fire because those are the times we get so close to Him. It is often in our darkest hour, engulfed in our worst pain, and crushed by absolute despair that our superficial prayers become real and that we have a deep heartfelt hunger for God. Our relationship with Him becomes so pure and we realize: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”(Ps. 73:25-26 NIV)

God uses all sorts of circumstances to bring about change in us. When I lost everything and was going through a divorce, I moved in with my parents again. I had never been close to my dad in the past even though I tried all my life without success to win his approval. However, living with my parents this time was different. It was a time that God allowed my relationship with my dad to begin healing. We were actually beginning to get close. Everything was going great until the day I got the call that my dad had passed away. Yes, my first question to God was why! I’d just become a Christian. My dad and I were building a relationship and I asked God, why? But I had to come to the realization that things like this happen and I could spend my whole life asking why and there would be no answer to satisfy me. So instead I began to ask the Lord, what? What did He want me to do in this season? What did He want me to do for my family? Even though I was a new Christian and the youngest, my mom looked to me for spiritual leadership.

When we find ourselves in the toughest seasons of life, don’t look around. Instead, look up and ask God what do we need to do? What are we going to do with our faith and then move on because…

3.     GOD WILL NEVER WASTE A HURT, DON’T FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM; LOOK FOR THE POTENTIAL.

God is always looking at the potential that can come out of a particular situation. The Bible says that Jesus delayed resurrecting Lazarus to glorify the Father. Sometimes we tend to believe in things we can see. Instead we need to choose to believe in God despite the circumstances around us because if we fail to see the potential in our problems, our life ends with the problem. On the other hand, when we see potential regardless of a situation, we are able to move on. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God [and] are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Happenings are not random – everything works towards God’s purpose. He has a design for us. Our mission is to fulfill His divine design rather than God fulfilling our desires.

So be encouraged by these Holy words, “For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long.  Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” (2 Cor. 4:17-18 NLT) God’s will is forever and our joy will last forever if we release things into His hands.

We have all sorts of troubles that we do not know how to handle but if we put them in God’s hands He will produce a miracle. It is like cooking with ingredients that normally are rejected or not used in a way that is expected. However, if we put these ingredients in the hands of a master chef we will end up with a gourmet meal. For instance, take oyster sauce which is actually rejected oysters, kabocha squash which have a hardened shell, onions which make people cry, and some lowly shrimp from the bottom of the ocean floor. Add a little steak and in the hands of the master we have a masterpiece gourmet meal – almost a miracle considering what we first started with!

God knows exactly what He is doing. Anything we put into His hands will turn out for the best. Let God work on all your troubles and He will work a miracle. Allow God to take everything you go through and choose devotion to Him and He will produce a miracle out of your life!

So always remember, while we cannot always choose our circumstances we can always choose our response and that is what God is watching.  While it is normal to question God when tragedy strikes us, the real question we have to ask ourselves is “what should we do now to develop an even closer relationship with God?”  And finally, it helps to remember that God never wastes anything not even tragedy. Even in the worst of circumstances, keep looking for the potential: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God [and] are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

Study questions

1. Have you viewed a problem as being unfair and later realized there was a blessing that came about because of it?
2. Why do you think God allows us to experience painful lessons?
3. How do you respond to tough situations? What is your attitude?
4. Are you going through a particular problem now and able to move beyond the struggle and see the potential outcome?
5. In times of brokenness when everything seems to be falling apart around you and you are on your knees before the Lord, what have you learned and how do you live differently because of it?
6. What most impacted you about today’s lesson and how will you use what you’ve learned in your life this week?

Many thanks to a most faithful, devoted, and committed servant – Leighton Loo for this week’s sermon summary. You are a blessing indeed!