Suffering? Look at the Ostrich!
Recommended Reading: Job 38-40
I think it’s fair to say that most people have heard of the suffering endurance or patience of Job. In the book of Job, there are twenty-seven chapters of complaint between Job and his three friends. Then, in chapter 38, God speaks directly to Job. From a purely earthly physical suffering perspective, Job could use some encouragement, healing, and hope. But God doesn’t once give any indication that he will console Job. Not once does God refer to Job’s suffering. Not once does God try to relieve Job’s suffering. On the surface, God doesn’t look very sympathetic or empathetic.
When God begins to speak, He challenges Job, both in the beginning and end of His dialogue to “Dress for action like a man!” What an interesting way to start and end a dialogue with a man who is suffering so much. Not only does God begin with this unusual greeting, but He continues His speech by talking about His creation for the entire chapter. He then asks Job if he was there when He created the waters, the sky, and the secret chambers of the earth. He challenges Job to speak if he knows how God performed these miraculous actions of creation.
In the next chapter, God begins to talk about his animal creation. He begins with the lion and raven but then expands to the mountain goats, deer, wild donkeys, wild oxen (unicorn), ostriches, war horses, hawks, and eagles. He even shares that He made the ostrich a little foolish so that the she even forgets where she laid her eggs or worse, that she lays her eggs in places where they can be easily trampled. But even though she is on the slow side mentally, God made the ostrich to be the fastest bird on earth! Zoologists have recorded that an ostrich can run up to forty-five miles per hour and at times, with the help of their wings, sail through the desert without touching their feet to the ground for short distances.
Where am I going with all of this? We began talking about poor Job and his miserable suffering and that God was not being very compassionate. I seem to have been distracted a little, especially when considering the ostrich. This distraction, however, leads me to ask a better question. Did you notice what God did? God distracted Job from his suffering! God was taking Job’s attention off of himself and onto God’s incredible creation, power, creativity, and sovereignty.
So often when we are suffering, we tend to focus solely upon ourselves. Our suffering becomes so central to our lives that it begins to define us. The same occurred when Jesus met a lame man who had been lame for thirty-eight years. Here’s the story:
“Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked” (John 5:2-9).
This sounds very much like God’s treatment of Job. First, the man was full of excuses and complaints. Jesus asked if he wanted to be healed and the man responds by giving two excuses why he can’t be healed. I think he missed the question. Jesus responds with a strong directive: “Get up!” So often when people are experiencing debilitating illnesses, they allow themselves to be defined and limited by it. They restrict themselves from allowing God to do even greater things through them.
Joni Eareckson Tada is a good example. From the time she was a paraplegic teenager, she allowed God to transform her life into one of the most powerful spokespersons for the Lord. Even today, at seventy-six years of age, she continues to bring powerful and life-changing Biblical insights to the world via her radio broadcasts.
But this wasn’t always the case with Joni. During the first few years, Joni was very depressed, experienced deep despair, bitterness, and had thoughts of suicide. It wasn’t until her good friend shared his perspective on the sovereignty of God that she experienced a perspective shift. He told her that "God permits what He hates, to accomplish what He loves." That was what brought total transformation to Joni—a shift from herself to God’s love, power, and creative plan. This is exactly what God was doing for Job, and what he tries to do with us all.
On a humorous note, I experienced this not too long ago. It had been a very long week. I was exhausted and still had a monumental amount of work to accomplish, not to mention helping to care for my ninety-five-year-old mom and on top of that, preparing for the arrival of our collegiate students for the Master’s Guild. I was leaning on a railing looking over the water on one of the Finger Lakes, complaining to God about my tiredness and loneliness. I remember just pouring out my heart to Him, letting Him see how sincere I was. Within a blink of an eye after I finished praying, this large (mammoth!) fish swam toward me. The water was only about six inches deep where I was standing but because of its size, it had to turn on its side to swim along the shoreline. I have never seen a fish that big on the Finger Lakes before. I was so astonished that I didn’t know whether I should run to get my camera or fishing pole! When I got back with my fishing pole, it was of course gone. And then I realized what just happened!
God did the same thing for me that He did for Job and Joni. He took my eyes of myself and onto His creation and creativity. For forty-five minutes I completely forgot about myself. When I realized what just happened, I began to laugh at myself. I laughed and then, while still laughing, thanked Him for helping me get over myself.
When God finished telling Job about all the animals, especially the unwise ostrich, God has one final question:
“And the LORD said to Job: Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the LORD and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further” (Job 40:1-5).
Job finally got it. "God permits what He hates, to accomplish what He loves." And as soon as Job stopped complaining, God started blessing. As soon as Job got his eyes off himself and began praying for his friends, God started to answer his prayers. Then, God gave Job twice as much wealth as he had before and blessed him to live for another 140 years (Job 42).
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended Reading and Listening:
Little Sir Galahad, Book, ages 5 and up
Little King Davie, Book, ages 5 and up
The Little Woodsman, Book, ages 5 and up
Arthur’s Big Opportunity, Book, ages 6 and up (audio drama soon to be released!)
Through A Needle's Eye (New!) Book, ages 12 and up
The French Fugitive, Book, ages 10 and up (audio drama soon to be released!)
Come What May, Book, ages 10 and up
Sir Knight of the Splendid Way, Book and Audio Drama, ages 10 and up
