Life with God often unfolds through storms before it settles into peace. Scripture repeatedly shows that suffering is not a sign of God’s absence, but a place where his purposes are quietly and firmly at work. Job learned this when God finally spoke out of the whirlwind. Surrounded by power he could not control or fully understand, Job was reminded that the Creator sees far beyond the limits of human understanding. God’s rule over creation, the seas, the weather, and the stars revealed that his wisdom cannot be judged by a single moment of pain.
This truth reshapes how we see our own trials. Following God does not guarantee a life without suffering. Instead, it teaches us to trust him when his ways are hidden. Like Job, we are called to stop, to consider God’s greatness, and to accept that there will be times when we cannot explain what he is doing. Our limitations do not weaken God’s purpose. They invite us to rely on his faithfulness.
The prophets echo the same pattern. Zechariah speaks of wounds, scattering, and turmoil, yet all of it serves a cleansing purpose. God refines his people so that they may truly belong to him. What once looked like defeat is revealed as preparation. We now see that these words point to Jesus, the shepherd who was struck and wounded by those close to him. His suffering was not meaningless. Through it came forgiveness, reconciliation, and the promise of the kingdom.
The same hope carries into the visions of the future. Scripture assures us that God will establish his rule fully, bringing justice, righteousness, and peace to the earth. Judgment is not presented as cruelty, but as the necessary setting right of a world meant to be good. For those who trust God and seek to follow his ways, this justice is deeply good. It leads to a peace that is no longer interrupted by loss, confusion, or sorrow.
At the heart of this hope stands Jesus. In the breaking of bread and sharing of the cup, we remember that suffering leads to blessing. Jesus looked beyond the cross to the coming kingdom, where he will eat and drink anew with his people. This gives us confidence to persevere now. There truly is peace after the storm, and God is faithfully bringing his people toward it.