“Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing, God”
Indescribable, Chris Tomlin
Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
Job 38:1-3:
Much of the Old Testament is about wrestling with God. It is about the struggle of getting to grips with and trying to understand God.
I often tell people that doubt is not the opposite or the absence of faith. Moses had his doubts, so did Jeremiah – Joshua had so much doubt that God had to tell him 3 times in the span of just 4 verses to be strong and courageous.
Doubt is not the same as unbelief. When we doubt we are engaging in a questioning of our faith – and this can often lead us deeper into the heart of God. Doubt becomes a lens through which we often go searching for God.
It is when we leave our doubts unaddressed and let them fester that it becomes unbelief.
J.D. Greear said the following: ‘Faith is not the absence of doubt; it is continuing to follow Jesus in the midst of doubt.’
Having questions and having doubts is a thing we all have to contend with. But faith means enduring, pushing through and taking those doubts to God.
In the book of Job we see a man going through some very real ‘stuff’.
Job is described as a Godly man – a man of faith and justice. A good man.
In fact, he is such a good man that the devil challenges God in regards to the purity of his faith. “Job only trusts You and worships You because You have favoured him.”
God permits Satan to tempt Job – and so his tribulations start. Job loses his wealth, his family and his health – he loses everything. Even his wife tries to convince him to denounce God – to give up and die. Job refuses and endures.
Poetically Job’s questioning of his life and faith are expressed. His doubts and concerns speak loud. So loud that God challenges Job.
God asks Job in chapter 38:4-7:
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels[a] shouted for joy?”
God continues to question Job – and this goes on for quite a few chapters. Hard questions. Questions with answers that only God has.
In all of this Job is confronted with his own lack of understanding – the constraints of his own wisdom and knowledge – but also comforted by the revelation of God’s limitlessness and infinite power.
God tells Job – just like He told Joshua – to be strong. There is a caveat to this though – we can only be strong in Him.
I’ve gone through situations where I couldn’t share what I was going through. I didn’t know where to begin to tell what was wrong, I was unable to put it into words, and even if I had the words my courage would fail me and I would stay silent.
Sometimes our troubles, our trials and our tribulations are too big for us to even describe. They seem gigantic – like a Behemoth (Job 40:15-24) or a Leviathan (41:1-11) – but God…
God pierces the nose of Behemoth and makes it a pet, and pulls Leviathan out with a fishhook and makes it beg for mercy.
Job accepts his own lack of understanding – he takes his doubts and gives them to God.
And in doing that God answers.
The Pharisees in the New Testament had ‘no doubts’. They believed they had God figured out.
Those who didn’t have it all figured out found Jesus.
It’s okay if you don’t have it all figured out today. It’s okay to have doubts, fear and uncertainties – in fact, as the book of Job demonstrates – actually, as much of the Old Testament demonstrates – God welcomes those who have questions.
Because the answer is always God.
Share your doubts and questions with mature Christians, trusted elders and servant-leaders – and it will become the path towards growth and maturity in your own faith.
Share your doubts with God.
I’ve gone through situations where I would lay awake at night crying “why God?”
And He always answered.
He will always answer.
The God who hung every star in the sky – who knows each one by name – knows YOU by name.
He sees you.
He knows you.
He loves you.
Ask today and He will answer.
Job called out. He asked. God answered – God restored.
He will do the same for you.
Prayer: Lord, today I come with all of my questions, my doubts, my fears and insecurities – the things that I struggle to put into words, those niggly things that gnaw away at my resolve to follow you – and I lay them all down. I lay them down at Your feet. I might not know what to do next, I might not know where to go – and in those moments I will choose to go to You. When I don’t understand the things I am going through I will trust in the fact that You do. I will come to You with my questions and believe that You will answer. Give me the strength to endure and the patience to wait upon Your Word. Let my doubts and fears becoming stepping stones towards a deeper faith in You. Give me peace in the midst of my storm. And when I look up at the stars in the night sky, Lord, remind me of Your great love for me. In Jesus name. Amen.