The news this past week was filled with so many tragedies carried out by terrorists and murderers. A young mother and daughter died at the hands of a deranged soul. A man filled with hate drove a large truck into a crowd of people celebrating their national holiday, killing dozens. Police killings followed by the killing of police…

What is happening to the world? Nothing seems to be making sense! Instead of the Star Trek utopia many in our world think we are moving towards, we are seeing that there is an increased polarization among people. The divisions are mostly based on sexuality, religion and the colour of our skin. The prayer of the apostle John in Revelation is becoming more real to me today: “Come, Lord Jesus!”

A poet once said that patience is how the godly mind occupies itself when it can’t find a decent answer to the question, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Therefore, patience is the art of innocent suffering. Patience means loving God even when He is silent. Patience means giving credit to God with knowing what is best even when troubles are on the horizon. Patience is trusting God when all hope is seemingly gone.

When you look at the Bible, one of the most godliest men around was Job. He is described as blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil. He never forgot the spiritual needs of his family. We see in Job 1 that he got up every day and made sacrifices on behalf of his children just in case they sinned. Because Job was wealthy everyone assumed that God was blessing his good deeds.

But in a remarkably short time, all of Job’s children and their families were killed and all his wealth vanished. In response, Job shaved his head and tore his robe. The curious thing is Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

So How did Job react to his suffering?

First, he complained about his suffering… but doesn’t everybody? In Job 6, he says, “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas.”

Secondly, he philosophized a lot over his life. He would later go on and say, “Does not man have hard service on earth? Are not his days like a hired hand? I loathe my very life, therefore I will give free reign to my complaint… Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

Finally, he wished he had never been born at all saying, “May the day of my birth perish and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!’”

The most difficult question a person may be asked is the “Why” question. When we don’t fully understand the reason we’re on the planet or the reasons behind the circumstances we experience, it is comforting to read Job’s benedictions over what seemed to him, his own pointless life. I’ve come to realize that suffering isn’t pointless or meaningless. God doesn’t do or allow things for no reason and we can be certain of that.

In reading Job, we discover that it is possible to hold on a bit longer. As almost a precursor to the event in the rest of the book, Job pens these words, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised.”

When we go through times like we are today, we need to turn to the only One who not only understands our pain, but brings the peace and comfort for us to make it through. He is the true balm to our pain and like Job, we should praise and thank Him. As another poet said, “It is those who cry who sing the sweetest song to God. Such songs are never hurried. They are born in patience and sung in soft acceptance.”

In spite of the chaos we see in our communities and world, we can have patience, peace, faith and hope because of the God who is greater than all and ultimately holds all things in His loving hands. Our world may be in a constant state of chaos. Everything around us may be crumbling, but the constant is God and His Word. Like Job experienced, it isn’t easy, but again like Job, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and Someone who is willing to take our hand until we get there.

In the meantime, we echo the words of John, “Come, Lord Jesus!”