“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;”
– Job 42:5

At the end of it all, this is what Job came to understand. He’d suffered terribly and unjustly because the devil is real and permitted to test the faithful. It’s unclear whether Job ever understood that part. However, he came to understand and find peace in the person and presence of God and God alone. Not in money, property, or family. In God alone.

For so long, Job had thought that satisfaction and peace would come from questioning God, debating God, and confronting God. That never happened. He demanded answers and precisely 0 of his questions were ever answered by God. Why? Because God knows that answers to our questions don’t bring comfort, peace, or satisfaction amidst suffering (even if we could understand them).

To get Job’s attention, God asked him dozens and dozens of questions that he couldn’t answer. This snapped Job out of his self-centered mindset and opened his eyes to see the infinite majesty and awesome power of His Creator. That’s when Job discovered the secret to peace amidst suffering and injustice… Stop seeking answers humans are unable to comprehend. Seek God instead. God usually won’t give us answers but He’ll gladly give us Himself!

At last, Job not only knew about and respected God, he knew God. He had a relationship with the Almighty. Therein lies the secret to peace in our most unhappy situations. Seek God. Cry out to Him in the name of Jesus. Be reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus. Be embraced and adopted as His beloved child by grace through faith in Jesus. Then embrace the privileges that come with that adoption! Embrace your freedom to speak with God any time, day and know. To talk to Him and listen to Him. Trust that He loves you and wants what’s best for you. Rest in His sovereignty, His power, His goodness, His wisdom, His mercy, His grace, and His love. Stop approaching God like a prosecuting attorney and approach Him as the son or daughter you truly are in Jesus Christ. #FollowJesus

“Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
– Job 40:2

Have you ever questioned or argued with how God was running the universe? It’s OK to be honest with yourself! In its fallenness, the world can be confusing. Things don’t work the way we think they should, particularly when we, or someone we care about, is suffering for no obvious reason. And so, we can be tempted to question God’s management. We can be tempted to doubt His wisdom or goodness toward us. It happens.

Here’s the lesson God is teaching Job – the universe is extraordinarily complex. Determining what’s best for all of creation across all of time is beyond human capacity. And so, God bluntly asks Job question after question, dozens upon dozens of them regarding creation, weather, nature, and more. God’s point is that if a human can’t answer these fundamental questions about creation, he or she simply isn’t qualified to have that conversation about what’s best for all of creation across all of time. We simply aren’t.

God’s work throughout time has often been compared to the weaving of an elaborate tapestry. On the front side is great beauty and order. The back side, however, appears to be a chaotic mess of colors and threads. Constrained by time, limited in our lifespan, and finite in our knowledge, we live, breathe, suffer, delight, and see only the back side. God, the master weaver, sees the front side and knows how to weave even our worst seasons of life into a beautiful, glorious tapestry.

Questioning God’s management will bring you no answers. It will bring you no peace. It will bring you no comfort. What will bring you peace and comfort is trusting God’s perfect wisdom, knowledge, goodness, and mercy. Pursue relationship with God, not answers from Him. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. #FollowJesus

“Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.”
– Proverbs 4:6

Here the writer of Proverbs praises the blessings of wisdom. In Proverbs, wisdom is often spoken of as a person, a woman who nourishes life in the best way imaginable. If we pursue, embrace, and love wisdom, she will guide, guard, and protect us – physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Wisdom in the Bible isn’t just about deep sayings that belong in fortune cookies. Biblical wisdom teaches us how to skillfully and practically live in a world designed by a good and wise God Who is the source of all wisdom.

If you pursue God’s wisdom, letting it soak into your soul, it will help you navigate the challenges of modern life. Read and meditate on the Proverbs and Psalms regularly. Bring your mind into contact with God’s wisdom every day. Scripture may never speak of the technologies, opportunities, and dilemmas you struggle with, but it will show you the way to respond to them in a manner pleasing to God. A life lived according to God’s wisdom is very likely to experience material blessings, peace, contentment, and flourishing here on earth. It will certainly be blessed by God in eternity.

So make time to grow in wisdom. Don’t just gain information – develop wisdom. Wisdom begins with knowing the Lord and holding Him in worshipful awe and reverence. It grows as you nourish the Holy Spirit within you and meditate on the Bible regularly. It develops when you genuinely want wisdom to rule over your life. The book of James tells Christians that we pray for wisdom if we lack it, confident that God loves to answer that prayer. So, love and pursue God’s wisdom. You won’t regret your decision! #FollowJesus

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.” – Matthew 21:43

The invitation to enter God’s Kingdom isn’t extended based on ethnic identity, religious heritage, or national citizenship. It isn’t a birthright or something to be taken for granted. It also isn’t a reward for a job well done. None of us deserve this invitation! It isn’t for people who’ve served their time in church or put on the best displays of religiosity. It doesn’t come based on the faith of your parents or grandparents.

The invitation into God’s Kingdom is extended to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s a gift of God’s grace rather than something anyone deserves or earns. All anyone must do to enter God’s Kingdom is repent of their sins and trust their life to their risen Lord Jesus. This is the fruit of the Kingdom – repentance and faith. Transformed lives of submission to Jesus. The joy of amazing grace rather than burdensome works.

This is the only way into God’s Kingdom. There is no other. No path of heritage or hard work. No do-it-yourself trail. Embrace Jesus. #FollowJesus. Obey Jesus. Live a life that reveals the Kingdom fruit that supernaturally grows in every true Kingdom citizen.