I have been meditating on this for days. Difficult to boil
it down to 750 words, but here it is.
Is It A Sin to
Blame God? (Job 1: 22)
Many Christians
expect to endure afflictions and tribulation, thinking this is just part of
"suffering because we live under the curse of a fallen world." Others
are quick to blame God for the evils in this world. They forget there is a
kingdom of spiritual darkness here, and Satan is the prince of this world (John
12: 31) until Jesus comes back again.
The Bible does
say, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous" (Psalm
34:19a, KJV). However, that is only part of the truth. The rest of this
scripture is, "But the Lord delivers him out of them all" (v.
19b). People who blame God for "afflictions" have not learned
the good part--deliverance! The Lord is not causing the afflictions, or He
would not be delivering us from them all. However deliverance is not
automatic. Most often it takes a good fight of faith. A fight that doesn't even
begin if a person thinks God is afflicting him to somehow perfect his faith. If
suffering perfects faith, the church would have been perfect long ago.
A careful look
at the book of Job reveals that it is not God who afflicts. It is the adversary
walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (Job 2: 2; 1 Pet. 5:
8).
I know what
you're thinking. Satan had to get permission from God to torment Job. True, but
it was NOT God who did the tormenting. Torment, death and destruction
are never God's will (Luke 12: 32). He sent His Son that we might have life abundant, redeem us from the curse of sickness, bind up our broken hearts, and bring peace that passes understanding in the midst of trouble (John 10: 10).
The Lord showed
me an example. I permitted my 16-year-old daughter to drive a car. She ran a
traffic light, got into an accident, and suffered a broken leg. Shards of glass
are still embedded in her forehead today. This was not my will. I did not
cause it. Yet because I permitted her to drive, someone could blame me for the
accident.
Job 1: 22
states, "Job did not sin against God by blaming Him" for the
devastation in his life. This verse shows that it IS sin to blame God for
destruction, loss, and death.
God
permits. He does not cause.
When Mrs. Job
said, "You might as well curse God and die," she was agreeing with
the devil instead of trusting in the goodness of God. That was Satan's
objective. He wanted Job to blame God for his suffering and curse God to
His face (Job 1: 11). Scripture is clear that is was Satan who was afflicting Job, who "smote Job with sore boils," Job 2: 7.
God is not
interested in doing us harm. Jeremiah 29: 11 says God plans to do His people
"good and not harm." Harm is saved for the enemies of the Lord.
Jesus said we
will have tribulation, "But, be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world!" (John 16: 33). Do you see what Jesus is saying? It is the
Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, (blessings and benefits) but because
we have an adversary, there will be difficulties. We must fight the good
fight of faith and overcome tribulation by His power working in us. If we do
not resist, the enemy persists. Christians were not created for defeat. But so many do not know that. They are walking in the natural world and expecting only natural results.
Christian author Grace R. Roos
had a challenge which lasted for over two years, even though she exercised all
the spiritual knowledge and faith she had. The problem persisted. Satan whispered,
"You're going overboard in your zeal to make much of the blood of Jesus.
Simmer down and leave it to God." Grace knew she could not do that:
"I had to utterly believe, or abandon my stand on the power of the blood
to deliver from satanic oppression."
Grace knew that Jesus delivers the sick from
oppression (Acts 10: 38).
Thoughts came against her.
"You have battled this problem for two years and the end is not yet in
sight." Then the Holy Spirit quickened these words: "Do not let
anything shake your faith in the power of the blood of Jesus to overcome the
enemy. Hold your ground."
She won the battle by her good
fight of faith in the blood in the blood of the Lamb and the word of her testimony:
I will not sin
against God by blaming Him for oppression. My Father loves me, and He does not
afflict, or make me sick. I do not allow the thief to steal my life, my health,
or my family. The blood of Jesus empowers me
for victory (I Cor. 15: 57)!" The enemy whispers, "What if you fail this time?' I answer as the three Hebrews facing a fiery furnace: Our God is well able to deliver us, but if He does not, we will not bow our knew to worship any other gods, including the gods of sickness and disease.
