Entitled to a Happy Life?

Sometimes in Christianity, I think we so enjoy God’s abundant blessing on our lives, we begin to feel as if we are entitled to them.

A hardship appears, and we whine and complain about it as if it had somehow slipped past the loving protection of our all-knowing, all-powerful God. We pout over our trials as if God hadn’t held up His end of the bargain—we are His children, after all, aren’t we entitled to an easy life?

But the truth is, we aren’t.

Even if Christ had never told us that persecution was to be expected, even if He had never uttered the words, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10), even if we did not have the New Testament to tell us that “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” (2 Timothy 3:12), or to “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations,” (James 1:2) the Scripture-wide truth is that we are not guaranteed an easy life, even if we are obeying God and living for Him.

This came to mind the other day as I was reading in the book of Job. As a young Christian, I always used to shy away from the story of this man whom God Himself describes as upright, but whom God nevertheless allowed Satan to take everything “good” away from.

Way back in a corner of my heart, I feared that this was what God always did: make good people go through terrible suffering, just because. But I utterly missed Job’s foundational statement, the statement that gives us a glimpse at his heart as he suffered in his daily existence of grief and pain:

“What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10)

We could look at many other Old Testament examples: Abraham, Joseph, Daniel and his three friends, David, and others, all of whom faced times of deep trial, which ordinarily would have destroyed their hope, their faith, their joy. And yet, through it all, we can see just a glimpse of this thread running through their responses to their trials: God gives, we receive.

Job’s statement is a statement of faith as much as anything else. Surely we can trust that the same God who delights in giving us good things will allow what we see as evil things only out of His wisdom and good purposes.

As Christians, we are not entitled to only the “good,” the easy, the delightful. In fact, we are guaranteed trials and difficulties, but what we are entitled to is God’s presence and grace in the midst of the difficult things God allows into our lives.

Paul is another one of the examples we have in Scripture of one who suffered much while obeying God. And yet, his descriptions of how God was with him and strengthened him in the midst of distress is one of the deepest comforts to Christians as we go through trials.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

We know from this passage that the “thorn” Paul asked God to remove was not only painful, but purposeful.

God had good reason for allowing the trial, whatever it was, to remain in Paul’s life. And God has a good reason, a loving and good purpose for every “thorn” He allows into your life and mine. But in order for the seeming “evils” of life to bear the good fruit of God’s loving purpose, we must accept them as allowed by Him, and choose to believe that He can be trusted.

One passage which has been precious to me during various trials over the years is Psalm 119:75-76:

“I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray Thee, Thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Thy word unto Thy servant.”

When God allows something into our lives that feels like a bad or unloving thing for a Father to allow His child to experience, turn to God’s Word. Look at the faith of those gone before who took, not just the blessings, but the trials also as from God’s hand. Purpose to do right, like David, Daniel, and Joseph. Choose to trust.

After all, we have received so many good things from God—is it not only fair that we trust Him with the “bad” as well?

“For the word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Psalm 33:4-5