SOMETIMES I JUST DON’T GET IT!
“The LORD gave & the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” - Job 1:21
I was reading the newspaper this morning, and on the front page, a headline jumped out at me.
“PA. SEES FIRST 2025 CASE OF BIRD FLU AT POULTRY FARM”
That made me sit up and pay attention. I immediately shared the news with my husband. You see, last winter, two days before Christmas, avian influenza struck our family business, and our entire flock of pheasants had to be euthanized as mandated by government officials. Our business, which has been operating for 70 years and was founded by my husband's father, had to start all over again.
We had done everything right. The disease that struck our flock was an act of God. Genetic testing revealed that during the migration of geese flying south, one dropped some infected poop in our pen, causing our birds to get sick.
We are a third-generation business. My son is now the owner, while my husband, Don, and I play supportive roles.
For two full weeks, we worked nonstop to manage the repercussions of this disease. Then, one Saturday, my son said, “Let’s take a break." He went hunting, fell from a tree stand, and broke his leg, resulting in surgery and requiring him to manage the day-to-day operations of the business from the couch where he had his leg elevated for several weeks.
Life is not just difficult; it is unfair!
The Bible tells us about a righteous man who lost his entire business and all ten of his children in a single day. Shortly thereafter, he also lost his health.
I understand the heartache of losing a child; it’s an unimaginable sorrow. The thought of losing ten children at once is incomprehensible. Yet, in the depths of his profound grief, Job says these amazing words, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
As we read the story of Job, we realize that his friends weren’t truly good friends.
“Hey Job, you must have really screwed up, or God would not have allowed these tragedies in your life.”
With friends like that, who needs enemies?
Job didn’t plan the adversities in his life. However, as his story unfolds, he acknowledges God’s sovereignty. With open hands, he offers his brokenness to God. He learns that when life seems to fall apart, it’s actually falling into the hands of a Father who sees and knows more than we do. Ultimately, Job looks upward, and his beliefs help him recognize God for who He is.
There are things that happen on this side of heaven that we will never understand, one of which is, with all the evil people in this world, why do the righteous suffer?
We yearn to understand.
Half of life is predictable. We make good choices and are rewarded. But what about the other half of life over which we have no control when God allows bad things to happen?
How do we get through the difficult times?
Starting Monday, February 3rd, I’ll share some thoughts from the Word of God that I hope will provide us with perspective; the main one being that an eternal perspective changes everything.
