The "Blame Game" Will Never Heal Your Heart

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

~  Job 1:21b-22  ~

When you think about all that Job lost, it is absolutely amazing that he was able to keep on going. There was a reason that God allowed Job to be tested, and it wasn't because he was "perfect." Sometimes we read about the trials and afflictions of Job, and even though we hear him questioning God, it seems as if Job must have had some kind of super-human strength to go through all of the tragedy that he experienced and it didn't destroy him. And then we wonder why we are having trouble holding on to hope in the midst of our own trials.

When confronted with the horror of his losses, Job was broken. He was devastated, and he was confused. When we face our own tragedies and heartaches, it is not a sin to be broken. The difference between Job and many of those around him was that he eventually understood that it is not God's "fault" when difficult things come into our lives. Job did not "charge God with wrongdoing." But he wept. And he questioned. He was honest with God in his pain. But then God reminded Job that His ways are beyond our human comprehension, but the one thing that we can be assured of is that He does all things from his heart of Love. God cannot deny His own character, and even when we are surrounded by devastation, we need to remember Who He is. God has not promised that we won't go through the deep waters, but that He will be there to carry us through.

One of the most difficult of all concepts for people to grasp about the person and nature of God is why He allows evil. Historically the notion has been that, because it is obvious that there is evil in the world, that either God doesn't care about our suffering, or that He is not capable of preventing it. But when we realize that much of our suffering and heartache is a result of some of our own choices, and the choices of others, because God has given us all the freedom to make those choices, we begin to realize that we just can't go around blaming God for everything that happens in the world.

Even natural disasters happen as a result of the brokenness of this fallen world. Man and woman's choice to disobey God brought sin into the world, and we have been living with the consequences ever since. Bad things happen because we live in a sinful world, and we are sinful people. We are frequently the victims of the hurtful choices of other people, but still we cannot "blame" God for He is just as heartbroken as we are. As harsh as it might sound, our pain really isn't even the point. Because we all will experience pain and heartache in this earthly life, the reality we need to cling to is that even in the midst of that pain and heartache, He will carry us through.

When you are in the moment of crisis; when you are broken beyond belief and feel as if the sun will never shine for you again; when you have lost everything that you have held so dearly to your heart . . . . . it is not a sin to cry out to God in confusion, anger, desperation, or terror. He knows your heart already. But the choice of what you do that next moment is your choice. Blaming God will never heal your heart. Let Him embrace you in His eternal love and hold you close 'til the storm passes by. Yes, you may walk the rest of your life with a limp because your wounds will always touch you, but if you trust Him to hold you and guide you through those dark valleys, He will keep His promises and never leave you nor forsake you.

If you would like to participate in this week's In Other Words meme, please visit Miriam Pauline at her blog, Mipa's Monologue. You will be able to find links to the blogs of the other participants, and you can also leave your link there if you decide to write on this quote. I hope you do, so we can come by your blog and visit you!

Have a great Tuesday,

Nina