Bad Counseling

Job 8:4 Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. I don't claim to be the best at helping someone through a time of grieving, but I think I can do better than Job's friend Bildad! After telling Job that everything must have happened because of his lack of integrity, he tells him that his children got what they deserved. Now that is not what you tell someone on the verge of a mental breakdown! This is the danger of trying to reason things with our weak and sinful minds. We see disaster and tragedy and jump to the conclusion that God must be punishing someone or even a place for their wickedness. I've heard Christians give reasons for tornadoes and hurricanes, and even terrorists, linking them to what must certainly be the deserved wrath of God. Who are we to jump to such conclusions? Obviously, Bildad was wrong in his assumption. Job was not facing great tribulation because of his sins, in fact, it was quite the opposite! Now surely there have been times throughout history where God dealt justly with the wicked, but we have not been called to identify what or why. The bottom line is this: He is God, and I am not. He can do what He wants, and He doesn't need my permission, neither do I need to understand everything about it. I personally thank God that He doesn't give everyone what they deserve, because if He did, I wouldn't be breathing today. It's okay if you don't know all of the answers as long as you trust in the One who does!