Feeling Like Job?

Do you remember the riches to rags story of Job? He was a very wealthy, blessed man, and then he lost everything, even his health. Life for Job was so bad that he sat on an ash heap scraping the painful boils from his skin. He had even lost touch with God. He lamented, “But if I go to the east He is not there, if I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him, when He runs to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him.”

Sometimes this becomes our reality. Suddenly nothing seems to be working. When we think life can’t get any worse, it does. When a glimmer of hope appears on the horizon a dark cloud moves in bringing another storm. Troubles like an avalanche cover us until we barely can breathe, and we cry out, “Lord help me!” We wait, but it is as though our pleas for mercy have fallen on deaf ears. Like others who have experienced this same fate we are ready to give up. With tears streaming down our faces we cry out again, “God, where are you!”  Right there with old Job, aren't we?.

One good thing about Job is he didn’t give up. In fact, right after his desperate lament he said, “But I know the way that I take; when He has tested me I will come forth as gold.” Job did recover and God blessed him for his faithfulness to remain steadfast despite all of the suffering he experienced. God does test us and most of the time it hurts. Even when we don’t recognize God's  protective hand we can be sure that He is with us and he does take care of us.

If you are going through a tough time I am sorry. Hang in there and don’t give up. Good days are ahead.
After the test you will come forth as gold.