Bible Studies

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GOD'S DISTURBING WAYS**

The Edges of His Ways

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power, who can understand?” Job 26:14 NKJV

Fast-forward from Job to A.D. 60, New Testament, Luke 8:44. A woman sick with an issue of blood for 12 wretched years has heard of Jesus and His authority over all manner of disease. Catching sight of Him in the hubbub of the crowd, she sighs in herself; if she can touch but the hem of His garment she will find power enough to be made whole.

(insight) In the merest, tiniest, infinitesimal proportion of God, a fraction so small one could no longer reduce it; in the barest little margin of His outer-most edges, we find majesties and power too wonderful for us to fathom.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:8-9 NKJV

God’s Disturbing Ways

As Christians we sometimes find ourselves in bad straits: spiritual deserts, struggles with besetting sins, persecutions, relationship problems, sickness, loss of loved ones, and many other forms of trials and difficulties. When this happens, and Jesus promised that it would, because of the pain we are in we can lose heart, viewing ourselves as failures in His sight, our own, and that of our peers. We think that God is probably disgusted with us and so we become frozen in our spiritual walk.

When we react this way, the adversary has a heyday. Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom He may devour. He sniffs out frailty so that he can attack, disarm, and destroy. God, on the other hand, will use our weakness or whatever suffering we are going through for our benefit and to His glory, in the end hanging the devil on his own petard.

If only we could take a peek behind the scenes - such as the first chapters of Job allows us to do - we might see it is God Himself who permits such pain in order to work out some grand purpose in us. In other words, God may deliberately disrupt our lives; He may disturb us.

God disturbs us so that we may grow, mature, and produce fruit. John 15:2; James 1:2-4; Jeremiah 31:28

Definition of disturb: to stir, to turn, to move.
a. To excite from a sense of rest or tranquility.
b. To excite uneasiness or a slight degree of anger in the mind.
c. To move the passion. (belief?)
d. To interrupt the regular order. (habits?)

God’s disruptions are GOOD (Psalm 119:67, 71 & James 1:2-4) and NECESSARY (Luke 24:25, 26, 46)

God Disturbs the Life of Job

Job’s Problem – In my estimation Job was a plate-juggler. Up and down the line he ran, trying to keep all his disks in the air, fearing that if he let even one fall, some terrible calamity might happen. The bases were always loaded and Job was forever batter-up. When his trial befell him, this man of the east stated that what he feared most had finally come upon him. He asked God the WHY ME question continually, but always holding to his own integrity.

Job’s Motivation – Though Job’s motivation was shot through with fear, I believe he truly desired (in a performance kind of way) to serve God. He did love God, but his view of Him was limited and immature. Job saw God as the great hander-outer of blessings for doing good, cursings for omissions or wrong-doing. In this sense Job was actually a bit on the superstitious side.

Job’s growth - Job in essence experienced conversion when God revealed Himself as Majestic Master of the Universe. Some have expressed the opinon that God never answered Job’s questions. But I believe that from God’s perspective, Job's questions were answered. Before his great trial, I think Job felt, “everything depends on me and how well I perform.” Job, it seems to me, was trying to walk in shoes too big for him, and they were wearing a dreadful blister. God opened Job’s spiritual eyes to see that He (God) could run the universe quite well, thank you, without him. I believe this was a pre-cursor of the rest we find in Christ.

“I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” Job 42:5

God Disturbs the Life of Paul

Paul’s Problem – Paul had misplaced zeal, religion instead of relationship. He was on fire for God, but in respect to 'The Christ' he was spiritually blind - and for a time, also unseeing in the physical sense. Possibly in that there was a not-so-subtle message for Paul.

Paul's question, “Who are you, Lord?” had to be the most oxymoronic one ever raised.

Paul’s motivation – Paul was a DO-ER, motivated by law. Right away he asked the Lord, “What would you have me to do?”

Paul’s Growth – Paul - after God disturbed him - turned a 180 in the opposite direction. He had a dramatic change of masters, from Law, to Christ. He was just as zealous, more so even, but now he counted all that came before as fit only for the dung heap - gaining Christ was supreme.

“I also count all things loss…and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Phillipians 3:7-10)

God Disturbs the Life of Peter

Peter’s Problem – Peter had an inflated notion of himself: his self-image was Super Disciple. (Peter had many endearing qualities. We poke fun at him for his brash and boasting, for assuming he could walk on water, then losing faith and almost his life; but he was after all the only one of the disciples who had even dared to venture outside the boat.)

Peter’s Motivation – Peter’s motives were pure and lively in so far as his understanding went. But he needed honing for the Master's use. And he needed to take a long look at his priorities. Simon wanted Messiah to rise up with power and take Israel back from her enemies, not realizing that true power lay in the “weakness” of the cross.

Peter’s growth – Peter thought that uffering was beneath His Lord, and he himself did not want to suffer. Jesus told him however that he “was going to suffer.” (John 21:19) Perhaps Peter as the consummate man’s man, the intrepid fisherman of Galilee, looked upon suffering as being somehow womanish. But see how he changed:

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering… but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (I Peter 4:12 -13)



**Gleanings from Week 1, "Confident Weakness" by Belinda Dunn

Outline questions, hers; answers and insights, mine along with a compilation of hers, mine, and those of the class.

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