Job 34:10 “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to commit iniquity.”
A man was handing out business cards that read, “Federman and Coe, Merchants.” When asked about his partner the man admitted there was no such person. “Then why do you have the name on your card?” someone wanted to know. “Well, you see,” the man replied, “if something goes wrong I just blame it on Coe. That way I get out of trouble easily.”
Three of Job’s friends were suggesting the same. As they saw it, God was responsible for all the evil that had befallen Job. Even though they suspected some hidden sin in Job’s life, his troubles still came down to a smear on God’s character. But Elihu, Job’s fourth friend, objected to such a charge. God does not commit wickedness, even if some might consider it justified.
Admittedly, we have the benefit of seeing behind the scenes and knowing that it was Satan who committed these acts of iniquity. But Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar could have realized the same if they had truly understood God’s nature.
Christians are good at blaming God when things go wrong. If a child dies, it’s God’s fault. If the house burns down, it’s God?s fault. Such accusations cannot be true. God permits bad things to happen, but He doesn’t cause them. Sometimes things happen because of our own carelessness or sinfulness.
Other times they happen because of the forces of evil in the world. But God is not to blame. James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). We may not understand much about God, but there is one thing we can know for certain: There is no “dark side” to God.
Don’t blame the Lord for your troubles. They come as a result of sin in this world. Confess to God any anger or bitterness you might feel for what you’ve experienced in life. Then ask Jesus to heal your wounds and make you whole.
GOD PERMITS, BUT HE NEVER COMMITS.
Woodrow Kroll
www.backtothebible.in