Do You Feel Like God Is Picking On You? - Encouragement Café - October 20, 2017
Do You Feel Like God Is Picking On You?
By Jill Rindfuss
Friday, October 20, 2017
“Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”” Job 42:1-6 NIV
I finally understand the book of Job!! I finally get it!
I’ve heard many teachings on it, but God’s part in the story never made sense to me. It always seemed uncharacteristic of God to seemingly pick on one of His most faithful, only for the purpose of settling a wager with Satan . . . the deceiver. It just never seemed right to me.
I actually relate quite a bit to Job. I’ve always been a ‘good kid’ trying to walk blameless and upright, and yet trials always seem to pop up, causing havoc and destruction (some harder than others). Perhaps you feel like your life could be a page right out of his book too.
Many find comfort in the later verses in Job, where Job’s story ends well when God blessed Job’s later part of his life. But anyone who has lost a loved one will tell you that new daughters do not replace the ones lost. And yet, the end of the book tells us that Job lived out the rest of his life fully satisfied and content.
Is it possible to go through so much loss, so much pain and yet live life satisfied and content – without any answers from God?
I believe the answer to Job’s contentment is from his encounter with God in chapters 38-41. It reads like a good old-fashioned scolding, but Job’s response implies that something much greater happened.
Job 42:5-6 reads,
“My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Seeing God is what satisfied Job.
When it feels like you’ve been singled out for satan to cause havoc and destruction in your life, know that God is up to something different.
He isn’t picking on you, He’s PROMOTING you! God allows us to experience trials for one purpose – to come to the end of ourselves, so our eyes will be opened to see Him. After an experience like that, I believe it didn’t matter to Job how God blessed him later because his focus was no longer on the things of the world, but solely on the One who gives and takes away.
Where is your focus when you are going through trials? Sit down with a notebook or journal and jot down some of the trials that you have experience in your life.
Record how you acted and what the outcome was. Reflect on what you have recorded and where you saw God working.
Father, Life is so hard sometimes. When we are hurting, it’s hard to think of anything but our pain. When we have lost someone close to us, it’s hard to think of anything but our loss. But Your intention is for us to lift our heads in these times and open our eyes to see You, for You are closest to us when we are confused and hurting. Father, open our eyes and allow us to see You for surely we will be fully satisfied in Your presence. Thank You that You are enough in all things. Amen! Amen!
© 2017 by Jill Rindfuss. All rights reserved.
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