Hope ≠ Circumstances
Read: Job 11
This chapter is a bit of a unique one to pull hope out of—the context of these verses in Job is important. This passage is not comforting in its words but in the falsity of them. Our hope is not rooted in our circumstances. I’ll share a meditation from the writer Susan Barnes to explain.
Zophar tells Job that if, “you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent” (vs 14) that all would be well. That Job would be secure and unafraid. That his life would be untouched by suffering if he simply owned up to the sin in his life.
While it’s God’s desire for us to have a sense of security and safety, it’s not in the context Zophar expects. Zophar thinks a secure life is achieved through being sinless, instead, a secure life comes from being in relationship with God.
Our relationship with God gives us a sense of security that isn’t dependant on our circumstances. We trust God because he is an all-good God who loves us and has our best interests at heart. Even when our conditions aren’t favourable we can still trust God because ultimately he has everything under control. Nothing happens without his knowledge or permission. If he allows something to happen in my life that I don’t like I can still trust him to bring about his good purposes through the situation.
When we have this security planted in our hearts, we have hope. No situation is beyond God’s reach or concern and there is no reason to be afraid of the unexpected. While something may be unexpected to me, it’s never unexpected to God. Trusting God for our security isn’t dependant on our ability to live a sinless life, but rather on God’s ability to sustain us through all our circumstances. --- And your life will be brighter than the noonday; its darkness will be like the morning. And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security. You will lie down, and none will make you afraid; many will court your favor. Job 11:17-19 | ESV