A reflection from Richard Fleming, former CEO of TBN UK
Like many in the world, I expected the prayers of the saints, for the nation of Ukraine, to be answered, that Putin would be held back by God. In my mind I saw the world give thanks, praise and worship to God for His miraculous intervention…
Then Putin’s war machine crossed over the Ukrainian boundary. My adult children with children of their own, contacted me to say their hearts were breaking for Ukraine. That huge emotions were rising up in their midst that they had not known before. I had thought it was just me feeling like that. I heard of teenage school children using apps that showed the likely blast radius if Putin bombed the UK, and a girl barely in her teens coming home asking her mum if she’d be sent to the countryside or the coast like in World War 2. Eight-year-old children coming home from school asking parents about war for the first time.
By day 3 of the war, tears of sadness just rolled down my face. My prayers turned to questioning God: “Why!? What is going on!? Why are you not intervening?”
The truth is my heart had started to be judgemental, frustrated, and desperate about the worsening situation in Ukraine. My attitude towards God was opening me up to torment and harassment from the demonic; the voice of the enemy coming in loud and strong. Then on the fourth day I woke up repenting of my hard heart and asking for God’s forgiveness. My heart softened and was open to being taught again. The Holy Spirit took me to Job chapters 38 to 41 and Job’s confession in chapter 42. Father God has called me there many times over the last 34 years and they always re-establish what should be the right relationship between me and Him.
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
Job 38:1-2 NIV
God quickly points out that there is a wide gap in understanding between God and man, that Job had been presumptuous with his superficial knowledge of divine things. Job along with his friends, had to learn that suffering may serve a purpose known only by God. In that case, a follower of God will submit even to loss and trauma, without complaint, for the glory of God. As I continued to read the 4 chapters, the size of God, the revelation of the might and power of His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding increased in the midst of me. Now I can’t help but pray out Job’s confession.
