The Answer to Suffering {Pondered Pages}

Supplies used: Acrylic paint (Anita's), Washi tape, and TUL pen

 

When suffering comes, questions inevitably follow. "Why is this happening?" "What did I do to cause this?" "Why is God allowing this?"

During one of my own most difficult periods of suffering a few years ago, I asked those questions and more. I spent time searching the Bible for answers. What I learned was life-changing.

What comes to mind when we think of the book of Job? Job's loss, "the patience of Job", the theme of suffering are all things that usually came to mind for me.

I've been amazed in recent years to discover that the point of the book of Job is not actually Job's great loss and suffering. Nor is it Job's patience. The theme of the book of Job is Who God is.

The truth God began to teach me 9 years ago as I was questioning God about the suffering our family was experiencing can be summed up by these two quotes from the Behold Your God study:

"God's character unveiled is the answer to suffering."

"...the answer to Job's suffering is not an explanation from God; rather it is a revelation of God."

(The Behold Your God study is a fabulous study, btw...Our family is doing this study again with our church this year and I cannot recommend it enough.)

As we go through this study for the second time, I am trying to journal some of the highlights in my journaling Bibles. I need to be reminded often of this truth: that when life is difficult or hard to understand, my focus needs not to be on the "whys", but the "Who".

It's amazingly simple and incredibly complicated all at the same time, but the answer to suffering is simply more of Him. Scripture says if we seek Him with all our hearts, He will be found. (Jeremiah 29:13) He uses our suffering to draw us closer to Him, to show us more of His glory.

Supplies used: Washi tape and TUL pen

 

What is God teaching you about Himself today? I'd love to hear in the comments. Have you done any Scripture journaling lately? I'd love to see!

For more on Scripture journaling here on the blog, check out these other Pondered Pages posts. 

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