Every part of pain has a purpose.
From our perspective, it is no mystery why God allowed Joseph to be thrown into prison. There is little question why God sent the strongest part of Gideon’s army home. From our vantage point, God had plans to bless Job all along—he was going to receive twice what he had from the beginning! And Gideon’s battle was won before he fought.
But sometimes, when we stand on the outskirts of our own disappointment and pain, we have a difficult time believing that Joseph’s God, Gideon’s God, and Job’s God is the author of our story as well.
The untrusting part of us is inclined to believe we are suffering for no good reason. But, like a sequel written thousands of years after the original story, our lives exist to bring glory to the same God as those men who lived in the Old Testament. We have the advantage of reading God’s purposes for a group of men who never owned the Bible. We can cling to promises they never held in their hands. We have more information in our time—through written history and all the promises of God—to know that God acts with perfect wisdom and with a faultless plan.
We must believe that God has never made a mistake and never will.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV).
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