When Job went through all that he went through, one of the aspects that must have made it so difficult was not knowing the why. Why, God, did you allow death to strike my household? Why did I lose my business and property? Why must I now scrape my body with shards of pottery just to relieve the pain?
Job didn’t know what readers know. That was hard. And it got even harder when his friends told him that it was all his fault for being such a big sinner.
I’ve never suffered the way Job did, at least to that same degree. Few of us have—thankfully. But when we do suffer, we often ask similar questions.
This last week on the GCD website, several of our authors wrestled with these questions of suffering, and one article even combines themes of suffering and spiritual warfare. Admittedly, I’m leery of articles that combine these themes because there are just so many ways to get it wrong. But I think you’ll find Ashley Anthony and Eileen Vandenberg both offering words that are biblical and helpful. The articles might not answer the Job-like questions you want to ask God. But they will point you to the hope we have in Christ and the goodness of God’s character. And that might be enough to carry you through today.
Thanks for reading,
Benjamin Vrbicek
Managing Editor
Gospel-Centered Discipleship
Last Week at GCDiscipleship.com
When Suffering Causes You to Doubt
by Ashley Anthony
“There was once a father who had a son possessed by a demon. Both the father and son needed the touch of Jesus.”
Sifted like Wheat: When Spiritual Warfare Sanctifies Us
by Eileen VandenBerg
“Satan has one design and God has another.”
The Lord’s Lessons in Our Failures
by Mike Cosper
“Luke tells a story in the fifth chapter of his Gospel. Jesus was in Galilee teaching, the crowds pressing in to the point of overwhelming him. Peter (then called Simon) had been fishing all night and was nearby washing his nets. His boat sat empty on the shoreline, and Jesus asked if he’d take him out a little way on the water so his voice would carry as he taught. Simon did as he was told. When Jesus was done teaching, he told him to go out further and cast his nets. Peter was tired. He’d fished all night and had just cleaned his nets; he’d have to repeat the whole exercise and as an experienced fisherman, he knew that the effort was pointless.”
This month I use an article by GCD staff writer Tim Shorey called “Christian Displays of Affection” to talk about the principle that good writing anticipates questions. In the video I play a section of an episode of the Home Row podcast where J.A. Medders interviews Justin Taylor. The interview is about a list Taylor compiled of fifteen pieces of writing advice from C.S. Lewis. I highlight a recent essay by Jen Pollock Michel called “Why ‘Lone’ Artists Need the Church” where she helpfully anticipates questions. I also mention the book The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.