When difficult circumstances find their way into our lives, we often react the way Job has in these verses. We petition for a trial. If God could just hear our case. If he would listen to our perspective on the matter…
It’s a tempting course. Our perspective on justice is inevitably biased and we are very likely to begin with the case already decided in our favor. We believe if we could just explain our situation to God, he would surely change things.
But God does not need more of our perspective. We need more of His. Even if our evidence makes a certain amount of sense, as it does with Job, the Lord understands what is going on at a deeper level than we do. He eventually tells Job as much in the verbal perspective-overhaul that closes the book.
A secret to living above our circumstances is to understand that God knows where we are coming from. He understands. He knows what we think and what we want even better than we do.
The circumstances of life are not accusations. They are simply the arena in which we must make our choices.
Job’s circumstances are tough. Really tough. So are many of ours. Like Job, we cannot wish away circumstances. And demanding our own verdict won’t work out the way we hope.
But we can always know that our Creator is present with us to teach and guide us through every circumstance. It is natural to seek comfortable circumstances, but the Eternal Judge offers us a better deal: we can seek our comfort in Him.