Why Do Good People Suffer: One Year Bible Reading for August 21

 Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Job 1:1-3:26
1 Corinthians 14:1-17
Psalm 37:12-29

Proverbs 21:25-26 

Let's look at Job. The book of Job raises one of the most important questions in history. Why do good people suffer? Sometimes it seems like good people have horrible things happen to them, and bad people get away with doing evil and enjoying it.

Job is the main character of this story, and he is a good man. The Bible makes it clear that he is a good guy who loves God and tries to do good things for everyone. And one day, all of his children die, he loses all of his wealth, and he loses his health. The only thing he doesn't lose is his wife, who tells him to just give up, curse God, and die.

So why does this happen? Well, Job's friends come along and tell Job that he's suffering because he's done evil things. That's what many people think, even today. That suffering comes to those who do wrong, and those who live good lives prosper. 

Then God comes and talks to Job. He says "Listen, where were you when I created the universe?" In other words, God knows better than we do. He knows the whole story. He knows that suffering makes us better people (if we let it). He knows that the suffering we experience now is NOTHING compared to the joy we will have in heaven. He knows all that.

And so the message of Job is: trust God.

God, thanks for reminding us that YOU know, even when we're suffering. And You'll make it all right in the end.