Inflict or Entrust? by Phil

Pam and I have been working through the book of Job in our daily devotion time. Job's so-called friends display the common mindset in ancient times. If good things came your way, it was because God was blessing you for being good. If bad things happened, God was cursing you for being bad. In our modern "evolved" culture we still believe half of that. If good things come our way it's either because we deserve it or "we sure were lucky!" When the bad comes, we are quick to ask, "God, why did you do this to me?" Or perhaps, for the more enlightened, "Why would God allow this to happen?" That is closer to the biblical view, but still misses the point.

In the popular The Chosen videos, Little James is portrayed as having a disability that leaves him with a limp. There is one poignant scene where James asks why Jesus hasn't healed him. Jesus' answer holds a biblical truth very few people grasp. Jesus says He could heal James, but he would have just been one of many Jesus healed. Instead, the testimony of one who is faithful even though left with disability would be far greater. Jesus said He and the Father trusted James with this disability. Instead of being inflicted with this challenge, James was entrusted with it. That is certainly a common theme in the Bible. Remember the man born blind in John 9? The disciples tried to figure out if this man was inflicted with blindness because of his own sin or if it was his parent's fault. "'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." - John 9:3. This man was entrusted with blindness his whole life, so at the right moment his burden could bring God glory. What about Paul and his "thorn in the flesh?" If God had healed Paul immediately, much of the teaching on grace in the New Testament might have been much less rich. Paul wasn't inflicted, he was entrusted.

Even back in Old Testament times, God knew He needed a man in a position of power to save his people in a time of famine. He would need a man of unshakable integrity, honesty, wisdom, patience and diplomacy. Young Joseph, in his interactions with his brothers and parents, showed he lacked much in the areas of discretion, diplomacy, and wisdom. God used his mistreatment by his brothers, by Potiphar, and his fellow prison-mates to shape Joseph into the man he needed to be for the job God had in mind. God didn't inflict these hardships on Joseph, He entrusted them to him.

We've experienced this in our own lives as well. When we resumed our ministry after our accident, there were many "helpful" people who said if Pam had enough faith she would have been completely healed. There are no doubt many people who have been inspired by the miracle in Pam's life, but there are an even greater number who have been encouraged to see her worshipping in spite of the disabilities God left her with. Would life have been easier if God had stepped in with a complete, one-touch healing? Absolutely! But by entrusting her with physical challenges, God showed both His miracle working power and His daily sustaining grace. We definitely need both!

So how about you? When difficulties come your way, are you quick to say, "Why did God let this happen to me?", or do you keep trusting He knows what He's doing? Is it OK to pray for God to heal our situation? Absolutely! But if He says "no" or "not yet," will we cling to Him or turn away? We've met so many people who have shared their powerful testimonies and encouraged us. Every one of them had faced some kind of a challenge, and most were still living through the difficulty. Their unshakable faith was not because God answered their prayers exactly as they asked, but because they clung to His sustaining grace every moment of every day.

Perhaps you are being entrusted with a challenge right now. I pray God will perform a miracle in your life; I know He can do it! But even more, I pray you experience the joy in seeing God use your difficulty to bring glory to Himself and encouragement to others.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, even sweeter when Jesus trusts in us.

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​Entrusted,
Phil and Pam

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