During the tough times, remember to keep the faith

DEAR CHAPLAIN» I’m a Christian who loves the Lord. In my opinion I believe in what’s right. I try to treat people better than myself and to do what God expects of me. Why then do I keep getting a raw deal in life? Signed, What Am I Doing Wrong

DEAR WHAT AM I DOING WRONG»

Thank you for your question. I can imagine it hurts to feel that life has treated you unkind, over and over again, and the God you love and serve has allowed it. I can see how you may be wondering, what have I done wrong to deserve so much suffering? But I encourage you to consider Job. Job was perfect and upright in God’s eyes, but he suffered many hardships, heartaches and heartbreaks. He didn’t understand why he was going through so many troubles. And his friends who should have had compassion on him didn’t because they thought his suffering was a punishment, when in fact it was not. The Bible teaches us that Job suffered because God was proving to the enemy of his soul that Job would love the Lord, do what was right, and treat others well no matter what he endured. In other words, Job was picked out to be picked on. Was it fair? In our eyes, absolutely not. But God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:8). God had a higher purpose for what he allowed Job to endure. One reason was to teach us to trust him, and to wait on him before we judge our lives or the purpose of our troubles. And even though life doesn’t seem easy or fair, not even for Christians, the one thing we can hold onto is that in the end it will be proven to us all that God is both just, and fair, in what he does and in what he allows (Deut. 32:4; Act 17:31). So I encourage you to keep the faith, to keep treating people kind, and to keep doing what’s right. The raw end of the deal you’ve received may not be because of what you’ve done wrong, but maybe because of what you’ve done right. I pray for your strength in the Lord, and I hope like Job, your reward is great in the end. Ask the Chaplain is written by Rev. Dayna Spence, an ordained minister, licensed evangelist, and chaplain who’s served as a hospital chaplain and is currently serving as a hospice chaplain Chester County area. Please email “Ask the Chaplain” at 4thechaplain@gmail.com or write to, PO Box 1284, West Chester, PA 19380.