How God Transforms Tragedy (III)

That God waits out our anger in patience helps us work through our emotional pain. God’s patience, however, represents a passive response to us. Is there anything active he does to transform our tragedy? Or to help us transform our tragedy?

For 25 years our son and daughter-in-law experienced extreme weakness with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She also endured Multiple Chemical Sensitivities during that time. Because it gave her severe physical pain, even when she couldn’t use paper, our son would write Scripture on cloth strips to help them memorize. Those verses sustained them during many years of incapacitation. By providing his word, God transforms an impossible life into a tolerable one. One day, of course, we long for physical healing.

In Job’s case, God also demonstrates grace. Out of the crucible of suffering, God speaks to Job. That’s what Job wants all along, but by the time his fourth instructor in wisdom gets through with him, Job feels God would in no way speak to lowly him. By that time we also feel God would never speak to Job or to us. That God speaks to one person in his pain, however, without condemnation or ridicule, or without crushing him gives us hope.

God patiently awaits the right moment to speak to us in grace.

 

About Grose

Gordon Grose loves most to write, speak, and preach on the message of hope from the book of Job. Using drama, video, and PowerPoint, he has preached and presented this message of hope to churches around the country. Grose pastored three congregations 25 years, then served 12 years as a pastoral counselor in a Portland, Oregon counseling clinic. He now serves with Good Samaritan Counseling Services, Beaverton, OR. A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Brandeis University, and Boston University, he comes from a rich and varied background in theological and counseling training. In 2015, Gordon published Tragedy Transformed: How Job's Recovery Can Provide Hope For Yours, a book about turning to Job for hope after tragedy. If you have experienced life challenges or personal tragedy, visit his Transforming Tragedy (gordongrose.com) blog to learn more. TragedyTransformed.com provides a sample of Gordon's speaking as well as an opportunity to purchase copies of his book.
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