Job may have felt this way! Job was a blameless and upright man. The scriptures say that he feared God and shunned evil. God had greatly blessed him! Yet, all the sudden his world was turned upside down!
Job 1:13-22 says,
One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (Wow! Worship was Job's first response!)
If all this wasn't enough, in chapter 2 Job was then also "afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He took a piece of pottery and scraped himself as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, 'Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!' Job replied, 'You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?' In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."
Job was wrestling with what was happening to him; he didn't have God's perspective. But I don't think Job's wife's perspective was very helpful to him do you? Of course, Job's friends thought they knew God's perspective, they told him to confess the sin in his life, but Job could not find any sin to confess. Job was surrendered to God's will, but God's perspective would have brought peace and rest through the storm. Read chapter's 1-2 and get a little of God's perspective as to all God was doing in Job's life. God had a purpose! He was testing Job! This perspective would have been helpful for Job to know upfront!
Jim's passing from death to life was of no surprise to God! It was to me, even though he'd been sick, I must have been in denial; I didn't expect for him not to return home. I was numb, in shock, but I did the only thing I knew to do: I ran into the arms of God morning and night, again and again and sought His perspective, His wisdom, His counsel that I might adjust to all He was purposing to do in me and through the circumstances. His Spirit bore witness to me, daily, through His Word, as I continue to seek to adjust to all He was and is purposing to do through my circumstances.
God's perspective is vital in our day to day lives! It's the difference in peace and confusion. When we don't understand what's happening to us, we can go to God and ask Him to show us, to give us His perspective, wisdom and insight.
When we face difficult circumstances the Spirit of God will take the Word of God and speak truth to us; God will give us His perspective if we will draw near. Ask and God will respond, He will speak to us through our circumstances and His Word. God knows what His purposes are. What's important is for us to know, so we can adjust to what God's doing! A life that's fully surrendered to God will not ask, "Why?" but will ask: "Father, how do I need to adjust to what you are doing in my life right now?"
Job's first response, being one of worship and complete surrender, is awing, but what Job needed was God's perspective, so he could adjust to what God was doing. It would not have taken away the grief of the loss, but it would have brought peace and understanding in the middle of the devastation. God's perspective is vital!
God whispers before we rise, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, come away with me!" His Spirit in us is His deposit of His love and a witness to our own spirit that we are sealed in Him for glory! Will He not want us to ask, in surrender, how we can adjust to what He's doing in our lives today?
If God has spoken to you today through this, respond to Him in prayer! Prayer is a relationship with the Living, Eternal God and oh, how He longs for you to come to Him with everything! I'm praying for you! May you know God's peace today! Peace is not a place, it's a person! He is our Peace and our Rest! We find them in Him!
Review:
1. Seek (intimate, love relationship)
2. Ask
3. Adjust
If God chooses not to tell you what He's doing, at this moment, rest in His love, know He has a purpose for His silence; continue to seek Him and abide in the love relationship. If you are abiding in His Word, walking in obedience to His truths, He will instruct you in His will and in His ways, you can rest in His care!
If God chooses not to tell you what He's doing, at this moment, rest in His love, know He has a purpose for His silence; continue to seek Him and abide in the love relationship. If you are abiding in His Word, walking in obedience to His truths, He will instruct you in His will and in His ways, you can rest in His care!
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