Ruth 1:12, “Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons- would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord's hand has gone out against me!"  At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.”

I am always amazed when people say that God has nothing to do with the suffering and sorrow that come inevitably into all our lives. Scripture teaches in a myriad of places to the contrary; God is sovereign even over the realm of human suffering. Naomi recognized that the hand of God had gone out against her in the loss of her husband and two sons, not that death was “just one of those things,” or, as pagans would say, “bad luck.” And I write this in my own sorrow the next day after learning that a dear friend, a wonderful Christian lady, and a supporter of our ministry, faces the likely diagnosis of terminal cancer.

The verse that always comes to mind is Lam. 3:33, “For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.” Jeremiah is saying that God doesn’t enjoy bringing affliction and grief to us, but He does so according to His purpose and always for our good, although admittedly we are too nearsighted to understand at the time how it can be for our good. The writer of Hebrews admits that the Lord’s discipline of His children at the time is not pleasant, but it afterwards yields “a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” We need to meditate on these words until they make sense in our hearts! (See text in Heb. 12:77-11.)

Here we speak of the “dark providences of God,” yet they are still providences of God, and God still demands that we trust Him that He is working His good purpose in our lives. For an excellent book on this difficult subject we recommend Jerry Bridges, Trusting God Even When Life Hurts.”