How many iniquities and sins have I committed? Reveal to me my transgression and sin. Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy? Job 13:23-24 HCSB
There have been several times in my life when I have had the feeling that God had abandoned me or I wondered why God was allowing something to happen. I remember being in Louisville, Kentucky at a conference when I received a call from my wife telling me that our youngest daughter had been involved in a very serious car accident and they were loading her into the ambulance to take her to the hospital. I immediately got in my car and starting driving to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where we lived. As I drove I questioned why God was allowing this to happen. I was even angry with God for allowing such a terrible thing to happen to my child. I felt betrayed by God.
In these two verses Job is expressing the same type of thoughts and complaints to God. He is basically saying, “What have I done to deserve this?” He also felt that God was hiding from him and that he was an enemy of God. This shows that even the righteous sometimes feel that God is hiding and are puzzled by His silence. It also indicates that we can express our true feelings and emotions to God.
Challenge: Do not be surprised when difficulties come your way that you do not understand. You may feel that God is not present and does not care about your situation. Trust Him and His sovereignty and know He is ever-present and loves you even when you express anger or disappointment to Him.