How do you respond to your personal struggles? What is your attitude toward God in light of those trials?
Over the past week, I have been studying Job. I was wondering why I was lead here, but today I found the reason.
Job was blameless - a man of complete integrity. Job would even pray for the sins of his children, just in case they had committed one. Well, without Job's knowledge, there was a test being prepared for him. Satan wanted God to remove the wall of protection around Job. Satan thought for sure that when faced with tragedy, he would curse God. "All right, you may test him," the Lord said to Satan. "Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically." (Job 1:12)
So, to make a long story short, Satan tested Job. First, all his animals were stolen and the farmhands were killed. Then, all of his children were killed. Do you know what Job did? HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND WORSHIPPED!
For his second test, Job was struck with terrible boils from head to foot. His wife wanted him to curse God and die...but Job replied, "You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?"
Job's friends insisted that Job must be suffering because of some terrible sin he committed. Job argues that he has not sinned enough to deserve such suffering.
Dialog goes on between Job's friends and him for several chapters...here is what stuck out to me just today: "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!" I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! (Job 19:25-27) He knew there was life after his life here on earth...that there was a bigger picture that God was in control of.
Is that the way we would respond to a rock thrown in our path? Think of all that was taken from Job. He was left with his wife and a few friends...and was reduced to skin and bones (Job 19:20).
The way you respond to your personal struggles shows your attitude toward God. Don't be angry...continue to trust in God and trust in His timing. Remember that He is in control and He sees the bigger picture.
Sometimes when I look at P and wonder what we did to deserve a disease like this...but it's a TEST. It's my goal to pass the test!
It is one thing to got through a trial, and to make it... to survive it, but it is quite another to squeeze it for all of the good and the deep lessons that it offers. All praise to His glorious grace, you are doing that!
ReplyDeleteAs Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Rabbi", His disciples asked Him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents sins?" "It was not because of his sins or his parent's sins, this happened so the power of God could be seen in him. John 9:1-3
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