God Loves...
Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps? Job 31:3-4
The definition of “karma” is “destiny or fate, an effect from a cause.” The book of Job is a direct rebuttal against this popular, secular belief. The truth is, sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes bad things happen to bad people. Sometimes terrible hardships crash down upon some of the best kinds of people, even those in Christ.
Job was blameless before God. He lived a sold out life for the Lord, and this is why he was the topic of interest in a conversation between God and the devil. Job not only believed in God, but he fashioned his entire life to honor God by catering and aiding “the least of these,” the poor, the hungry, the widow, the fatherless, and more. Job sparked the devil’s interest because of his steadfast faith and godly living. That testy devil was determined to try Job to see if he would turn away from God when calamity struck.
Job stood firm. He pressed into the Lord. He cried out to God in anguish.
Job’s faith in the Lord, through it all, teaches us some valuable lessons found in Job 31. Based on a list of things Job states that the Lord hates, we can learn more about the nature of God in knowing what God loves.
God Loves:
To be glorified
Honesty
Love
Righteousness
Benevolence
Loyalty
Contentment
Justice
Compassion
Generosity
Honest Gain
Love and worship of Jesus
Hope in Christ
Sympathy
Unveiled Sin/ Freedom
God loves all of these things. He wants to establish each of these qualities in your life and heart. Like Job, we too can cry out to the Lord when calamity strikes, and cling tight to our faith and knowledge of who God is when hard times billow our way. We don’t know why bad things happen to good people, but we can be thankful for the book of Job in knowing that the myth of karma is false. God loves us, and wants what is best for us as his children. Even so, sometimes we must struggle in order to learn how to swim. Our faith is enhanced through hardship, our lives are fortified by the power and presence of Jesus when we call upon his name.
Steps of Faith:</