Blog: The Wilderness of Job
A peak in the Bob Marshall wilderness.
Questioning God
Do you ever feel like Job? Sometimes I do. When things do not go well in life I wonder, Why does this stuff happen to me? After bad or frustrating things happen, I begin to think that I am like Job in the book of Job chapters 2 to 31. In these chapters Job underwent incredible suffering and as a result questioned God.
Many times in my life I consider myself to be going through a “Job time” and I question God. But when I take a look at my heart I realize it is not my suffering that causes me to feel like Job, but my attitude.
One such time occurred a few years ago when I found the stress of life and work to be overbearing. Things just seemed to be going wrong. Fortunately, four friends and I previously made plans to head off to the Bob Marshall wilderness in Montana. We wanted to spend some time away in the mountains and time away with God in His creation. We took a flight out west, left our rented van at the trailhead, donned our backpacks and headed into the mountains.
My view from Necklace Pass where I had an encounter with God through the book of Job
Job, God and the Wilderness
On day four of our retreat in the wild we left our camp and headed up to a place called Necklace Pass. After several hours of hiking through the woods we reached the pass located right at the timberline. There we, dropped our daypacks, broke out our lunch and dispersed to spend time alone with God.
Myself and another member of the group headed up a slope on one side of the pass. We looked into endless miles of Montana wilderness. My eyes popped with wonder at the sight and my heart relaxed in peace. I sat down and opened my Bible to the book of Job chapter 38 and began to read.
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me! “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
My Friends Scott, Dennis, Randy, Allen and myself in the Montana wilderness
Who am I Before God?
The Lord spends the next 125 verses reproving Job by showing how great a Creator He is. As I read those verses looking at the vast mountain wilderness covered with trees, patches of snow and distant lakes I also felt God’s reprove. I found myself to be more like the *Job of Chapters 32-41, then the Job of Chapters 2-31.
We made camp near this mountain lake in Montana.
Who am I to question the Mighty One, God the LORD! If Job couldn’t do it, I certainly don’t have the right to question God. God, forgive me of my sin and may I be humble before you like Job who said, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 41:5-6)
*In chapter 32-37 Job is first rebuked by a godly man named Elihu. This may have prepared Him for the straight rebuke from God in Chapters 38-41. See: http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/job-rebuked-in-suffering
Thank you, Pat, for sharing your Job experience. May God continue to be glorified through your inspirational writing.
Thanks Connie! I hope you are doing well. Perhaps someday in the future God will have us work on a project together again. Who knows. Only He does.
Excellent point. Who are we to question God? I know my life has been filled with physical/spiritual sufferings over the last 30 years, in particular. However, we must always know the Lord has our best interest in mind all along the journey. Job said, “The Lord gives and takes, blessed be his name.”
Amen Morris. He always has our best interest in mind. The best thing we can do is draw close to Him. Sometimes troubles and trails draw us to HIm.