The 1965 movie Shenandoah stars Jimmy Stewart as Charlie Anderson, an authoritarian father of seven who farms in the Shenandoah Valley. Set during the American Civil War, the film explores themes of war, family, and restoration.
One day Charlie offers a “prayer” that reveals his lingering anger toward God:
“Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked the harvest; it wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be eatin’ it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same anyway, Lord, for this food we’re about to eat. Amen.”
Charlie gets high marks for his work ethic, but he overlooks some vital considerations. Who created the fertile valley where his crops grow? Who sends the rain and the sunshine? Who designed us with the capacity to choose what we believe about God?
Charlie’s anger was rooted in the death of his wife. In the Bible, we meet another man with cause to be angry. Known for his patience, Job still had some caustic observations about God and his fellow humans. “My complaint is with God, not with people. I have good reason to be so impatient,” he said. Then he asked, “Why do the wicked prosper?” (Job 21:4,7). Having lost 10 children, he lamented as he said of the wicked, “They live to see their children grow up and settle down” (Job 21:8). This led him to observe bitterly: “They think their prosperity is of their own doing” (Job 21:16).
Both Job and Charlie acknowledged God. Yet Job clung to a dependence on Him regardless of circumstances. God permits the hard questions of life so that we will face our own insufficiency and turn to Him and His sovereign ways.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Exodus 6:1-13
More:
Psalm 73 echoes Job’s question, “Why do the wicked prosper?” What do verses 17 to 28 reveal about God and His plans?
Next:
What injustices do you see and sense in the world? How do God’s power and sovereignty encourage you to press on for good?
Gary Shultz on February 5, 2016 at 6:33 am
Tim, as you ask about injustices, the men in the article both suffered great loss and it would be hard to imagine that. I don’t think God expects us to skip through the flowers during these times; however the calling and nearness to God does point to some tempered response. Aaron, like it or not, had to restrain himself because of God’s Holiness and we should point out, the son’s disobedience. We can never out trump, no pun intended, God, but we can always lean on Him as Lord of all. Bitterness is sometimes part of life, what we do with it, even when we don’t understand, marks or relationship with God…. Thanks for all your input Tim.
Tim Gustafson on February 5, 2016 at 7:53 am
Agreed, Gary! It’s unrealistic not to acknowledge our feelings when we go through difficulties. Our emotions are valid and God-given. It’s where we turn in our bitterness that makes all the difference. (Preaching to myself here.)
gagirllive on February 5, 2016 at 7:24 am
From our perspective, this life does seem to have inequities, but we have to trust that God has the final word…and that one day He will right every wrong and rule with justice in the coming kingdom. For now, we need to remember that it’s all grace…God’s favor is generalized to all… “sunshine and rain to both the just and the unjust”. But only His own have the promise of eternal life with Him. The wicked’s prosperity has an expiration date…here and now. For us, it’s important that we lay down our demand to understand all that God is doing and allowing…and trust that, because of what Christ has done, we will come into our glorious destiny. Thanks for bringing these truths to mind today, Tim!
Tim Gustafson on February 5, 2016 at 7:57 am
You sound a lot like the psalmists! Particularly Asaph. I love your point about releasing our “demand to understand all that God is doing.” That’s easy to say until we run into the inexplicable.
As my good friend likes to say when she is enduring something difficult: “God is doing a new thing here. Can’t wait to see what it is.” I want that kind of faith.
gagirllive on February 5, 2016 at 10:45 am
Yes, Tim…I spend a lot of time in the psalms…for sheer survival. I have to preach this to myself everyday, as I am right in the middle of some inexplicable circumstances. It’s hard…I don’t understand. But God never asked me to understand…just trust. So I go forward daily trying to do that. ODJ has been a great source of encouragement on this journey. Thanks to all of you writers!
Tom Felten on February 5, 2016 at 8:59 am
Tim, it can hard for believers in Jesus when we believe we’ve been living such a good life that God will surely bless us . . . and then a calamity occurs. It’s so much better to simply do good out of love for God without expectation—realizing that God will be with us in both the good times and the bad.
Roxanne Robbins on February 5, 2016 at 11:03 am
What a good reminder that when we’re facing challenging circumstances and loss, like Job, we should bring our complaints to God and not blame others. I’ve made the mistake too often of thinking others are the reasons for hardships rather than bringing the situation and my feelings to God, and asking Him for the proper way to respond.
jim spillane on February 5, 2016 at 11:46 am
Tim – for me, Psalm 73 is a good reminder that for the wicked who seem to prosper, their time is now. They better eat, drink, and be merry, because for them, this is it, this is as good as it’s going to get. But for those who’s refuge is the Lord, the best is yet to come! Blessings to all here at ODB.