Learning to Trust God in the Darkest of TImes

I have been struggling with the issue of pain and suffering and where is God in it all. How do we as Christians trust God when God doesn't seem to be there. Probably the most famous instance of suffering in the Bible is the story of Job. Job underwent tremendous suffering of no fault of his own. Godly and upright, if anyone should not have suffered it was Job. Yet suffer he did. As we read through the book we see Job trying to make sense of it all. He finally ask God a simple question, Why? God's response is swift, terrifying, humbling and not at all what Job wanted. In a four chapter monologue, God basically tells Job that it is not his place to know for I am God and you are not. I always found this hard to take. I realize that God not requires from us our complete trust, to rely in no way on ourselves.

The second person is Joseph. Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, begins to excel with his owner and is unjustly accused by his master's wife. he finds himself in prison for fourteen years. In all that time, we never get any indication that God reveals to Joseph His purpose in Joseph's life or a reason for Joseph's suffering. It is not until many years later, when Joseph's brothers, whom he had saved from starvation, now fear that Joseph will finally take his revenge, that we find that Joseph has received his answer from God. He tells them, "What you meant for evil, God used for good."

Here we learn what it means to trust God. We must release our situation to an all-powerful God, the creator of the universe. We may not, and often do not, see God at work. We often lose faith but God never fails. When we see only evil, God is working the evil for good. This is the hardest aspect of our faith, to endure suffering without seeing the end.

For those in the midst of trials, take heart. God is with you. The God of creation is the God who cares for you. Trust Him, for He will never fail. Trust Him in your darkest time. God can do all things. He can heal all wounds and broken hearts, bring families together make His love known to you. Trust the God who loves unconditionally. It will be ok.