Yesterday was a difficult day, but once again, the Lord has
pulled me through it. Last night, I pulled out my Bible and decided to read the
book of Job. This season in my life, reminds of him, but thank the Lord it is
not nearly as intense as his struggles were. I admire Job so much in chapter1,
all of his livestock was taken from him and ALL of his offspring died. What did
he decide to do in the midst of all of this tragedy….he decided to praise God.
I love that! It is a lot easier said that done, especially when you are feeling
so full of despair. It’s amazing, however, that the moment you do praise His
name, He meets you where you are. I love how Job still maintained his integrity
despite his gut-wrenching suffering. He asks; “Shall we accept good from God
and not trouble?” Do we love God and trust Him, in the good times and bad, or
do we only love Him when things are going great and life is comfortable?
Job’s three friends (Eilphaz, Bildad, and Zophar), heard
about all that has happened to him. They leave their homes, meet TOGETHER, and
go to meet Job. Why did they go, because that is what true friends do. We
sympathize and comfort one another. Here again God is showing us, that we are a
vital component to the well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. They
even grieved with him, it says in verse 12, ” they began to weep aloud and they
tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.” Relationship and unity
bring healing. All he needed was for them to be there for him, verse 13, “Then
they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a
word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”
This morning, God lead me to 2 Corinthians 1: 3-11.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of COMPASSION and the God of all COMFORT, who comforts us in ALL of
our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we
ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow
into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are
distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation: if we are comforted, it is
for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same
sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just
as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
This is the part that really hit me today, because I felt
like I was wallowing in the pit yesterday. Verse 8, “We were under great
pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.”
Verse 9, “BUT this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who
raises the dead.” Verse 10, On him we have set our hope that he will CONTINUE
to deliver us.” Amen : )
