Text: Job 2:11 - 31:40, Hebrews 12:5-12, James 1:2-6
For the past month or so, we’ve been looking at the book of Job, which records the sufferings of a good man whose life took a turn for the worse. And this book has helped us answer some tough questions, such as:
"Are good people exempt from suffering?"
"What is God doing when life takes a turn for the worse?"
"What is the Devil up to when life takes a turn for the worse?"
"What should I do when life takes a turn for the worse?"
And the question I want an answer to this morning is: "Is God punishing me when my life takes a turn for the worse?" This is another tough question we tend to ask when troubles and tragedies strike: "God, are you punishing me for something?"
Think about Job. Tragedy after tragedy hit his life. Remember? He lost his finances, his children, his health, and his marriage - one right after the other.
The end of chapter 2 tells us that he had three friends come and visit him (read vs. 11-13). So far they’re doing everything right. They came a long way to be with their friend, they cried and wept with him, and they didn’t offer any unwanted advice.
But in chapter 3, Job begins to gripe and complain and curse the day he was born, and then from chapters 4 to 31, his so-called friends tear into him and insist that God is punishing him: Bildad (read 8:2-6), Zophar (read 11:13-15), and Eliphaz ( read 22:3-5). Ouch! Do you see what they’re telling Job? They’re saying, in effect, "Job you are suffering because you have done something wrong and God is now punishing you." These three friends had the same philosophy that suffering is a sure sign that God is punishing you.
Is that true? Is God punishing me when my life takes a turn for the worse?
Before we answer this, I need to point something out. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then what I’m about to say doesn’t apply to you. When suffering comes into your life, that is God’s way of telling you, "Look, life is tough and you need a Savior who can get you through it." And the best thing you can do is humble yourself before the Lord and trust Jesus Christ to forgive your sin, change your life, and take you to Heaven when you die. And once you trust Christ as Savior and Lord, you’ll be ready to join us as we answer the question, "Is God punishing me when my life takes a turn for the worse?"
I want to base my answers to this question on two passages of Scripture: Hebrews 12:5-12 and James 1:2-6
I. Hebrews 12 tells us that God disciplines His children when they STRAY.
If you know Jesus, then please understand that God wants you to walk on the straight and narrow path; that is, He wants you live a righteous and a holy life. He wants you to do what’s right, treat others right, and keep your life clean.
And do you know what He does when one of His children strays from the straight and narrow? He doesn’t disown them or kick them out of His family. Instead, He does what any loving Father would do. In effect, He draws a line and says, "I love you and it’s in your best interest to stay on the straight and narrow. So I’m going to take you to the woodshed when you cross this line."
We need to recognize the fact that God disciplines His children when they stray. Look at Hebrews 12:5-12.
This passage has two words of instruction for the Christian who is disciplined by God.
A. "Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline." (NIV)
Stated negatively, "Don’t take it lightly". Stated positively, "Learn from it".
This is something I can relate to. When I was a little boy, my dad spanked me for something (I don’t remember exactly what, but I’m sure I deserved a good spanking). The spanking hurt, but I was bound and determined not to cry. When Dad finished, I opened my smart mouth and told him, "That didn’t hurt one bit!" Let me tell you, THAT WAS PRETTY STUPID! I took Dad’s discipline lightly and didn’t learn from it - and that was a mistake I immediately regretted.
Some 22 or so years later I can look and laugh at that incident and blame it on "the ignorance of childhood." But this is a mistake that a lot of Christians make today. They stray from the straight and narrow and God takes them to the woodshed, and instead of learning from it, they take it lightly! Don’t do that! Don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline!
B. "Do not lose heart when he rebukes you."
Stated negatively, "Don’t give up". Stated positively, "Hang in there." How?
1. For one thing, realize that God only disciplines His children (read vs. 7-8).
When God takes you to the woodshed, that is further proof that you are a genuine believer. The trip to the woodshed is an assurance builder. If you can’t get away with sin, then that is an evidence that your faith in Christ is genuine.
2. For another thing, realize that it can work to your benefit IF you respond in faith (read vs. 9-11).
Let’s switch gears and look at the other side of the coin. On one hand, God disciplines His children when they stray and on the other hand . . .
II. God tests his children when they are FAITHFUL.
This was the case with Job. God wasn’t punishing him because he strayed. God was testing him because he was faithful.
And God works the same way in our lives. I’ve experienced this and I’ve seen it over and over again in dozens of lives. A husband and wife who wants to get right and raise their children in a Christian Home. And no sooner than they make that commitment, some type of hardship comes into their lives. God isn’t punishing them because they’ve strayed. He’s testing them for some reason known only to Him.
But don’t take my word for it. Look at James 1:2-6. This passage has two words of instructions for the believer who is tested by God.
First, REJOICE when God tests you.
What would you do if you were going through some tough times and somebody said, "Just smile and be happy!"? I’d be tempted to punch’em in the nose! But that’s exactly what James tells us: "Count it pure joy." That’s the last thing we would do. We could understand if he told us to cry, or complain, or curse! But James says, "Rejoice"! And folks, He’s on to something. Life is too short to be miserable, and if we could learn to rejoice in our trials it would make life a little bit easier.
HOW CAN I REJOICE IN MY TRIALS? Verses 3 and 4 give the answer. Trials develop perseverance, the ability to stick to it and hang in there. It’s one of the evidences of genuine faith - a person who trusts Christ will hang in there.
HOW DOES A BELIEVER DEVELOP PERSEVERANCE? By going through trials.
WHAT DOES PERSEVERANCE DO IN MY LIFE? It helps me grow. Think of a mother bird and her baby birds. When they reach a certain point in life, what does the mother bird do? She throws them out of the nest. Can you imagine how traumatic that is for those baby birds? So, why does she do it? Because that’s the only way they will grow. Dear friends, that’s why God allows us to go through trials - Trials develops perseverance in our lives and perseverance helps us grow. So rejoice when you go through trials, because if you hang in there, the experience will help you grow.
Second, PRAY when God tests you.
What should you pray for?
PRAY FOR WISDOM (v. 5). I don’t know about you but when I go through a trial, I usually pray for the wrong thing: "Lord get this trial out of my life." Most of the time, that’s the wrong request. The right request is to ask for wisdom: "Lord help me understand what this is all about" "Lord, are you wanting to build my character?" "Are you wanting to purge my life of a particular sin?" What are you wanting to do in my life?" I like the promise of verse 5 (read). In other words, God will give you wisdom and He won’t fuss at you for asking.
Pray for wisdom and PRAY IN FAITH (read v. 6, " he must believe and not doubt".) What must He believe and not doubt? God. We need to have confidence in God and trust that He will use this trial for our good and His glory. We need to pray in faith and God will honor our prayer. This is true of prayer in general - God honors a request made in faith. So rejoice and pray when God tests you.
III. How Can I Know the Difference?
How can I know the difference between being disciplined and being tested? When God disciplines you, you will know exactly why. When God tests you, you won’t know why. That’s the difference!
Think about Job. He didn’t know He was being tested by God. He had NO IDEA what was going on.
Now think about Jonah who was disciplined by God for not going to Ninevah. When the storm hit, Jonah KNEW EXACTLY what was going on. He knew that he was being disciplined by God (Jonah 1:7-12 ).
That’s the way it’s been in my life. I’ve been taken to God’s woodshed on several occasions, and every single time I knew exactly what was going on!
I remember my first experience with the woodshed. I had just turned 16 and had been backslidden for over 3 years. I had just gotten my driver’s license and Dad decided to let drive BY MYSELF to school for the first time - because I had a dental appointment that afternoon. I was on cloud nine that morning. I felt like a hot-shot because I drove myself to school. But my cloud burst that afternoon. I left the campus to go the dentist. I was less than a block away from school, when I saw a pretty girl walking down the sidewalk. I stuck my head out the window and whistled at her and . . . WHAM! I ran into the back of a parked van!! The impact threw me into the floor-board, the girl ran across the street, poked her head in the car and asked, "Are you allright?" I was EMBARRASSED beyond description. And I knew exactly what was going on. I had been backslidden for over 3 years and I had crossed the line - and God had just taken me to His woodshed!!
Dear people, you will know exactly what’s going on when God disciplines you. But you won’t have a clue as to what’s going on when He tests you. That’s how you can know the difference!
What about you? Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?
If not, then I encourage you to trust Him as Savior and Lord and do it right now because life is too tough to handle on your own.
If you do, then realize that God will discipline you when you stray and He will test you when you are faithful - and the most important thing you can do when life turns for the worse is: TRUST GOD.
Let’s pray . . .
Dear Lord we recognize that you are a loving Father who disciplines His children when they stray, and you are a wise Father who tests His children when they are faithful. And Lord, help us to trust you especially when life takes a turn for the worse.
