In unpredictable times, we long for control, but it often eludes us. In the life of faith, we can indulge in magical thinking about how God works. But when we reason that, “if I do good things, God will reward me with an easy life,” we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment. Rather, God invites us to a life of faith, where we can find joy while living with uncertainty.

In Job’s story, we see the corrosive nature of black and white fundamentalism. Because Job’s friends believe God is always predictable, they see his trials as proof that he must be a shady character. Losing everything must simply be Karma at work. But their beliefs distract them from the truth: God just doesn’t offer us the kind of certainty they suppose he does. In reality, they don’t want to face the possibility that Job is a righteous man who God allows to suffer. Because if it can happen to Job, it might also happen to them.

God doesn’t invite us into a relationship where we are always going to know what he’s doing. He asks us, instead, to trust him in situations that don’t seem to make sense. It is in the places of uncertainty that our faith becomes deepest. For now, we must learn the art of living with uncertainty, of trusting that God has some purpose in allowing our pain. We must learn to choose to believe that one day, we will look back on our experience with great joy after seeing the wonderful things that God has done through it.

Questions for Reflection

1. Have I ever found that my beliefs needed to be reexamined in light of something that happened to me or someone I loved?
2. Why do you suppose we have such a strong desire to make God predictable?
3. Have you had experiences where your understanding of how God works was called into question? How did you feel in the time it took to come to a new understanding?