Trusting God
In Job 5:7 we read “Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.”
If ever a man was put to the test, it was God’s man Job, and he didn’t know why, but God did. God was proud of Job. One day God was telling Satan about what a great man Job was … Job 1:8.
“Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
Satan, sort of sneered and replied, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse You to Your face.” (Job 1:9-11)
Basically, Satan was saying the only reason Job was serving God was because God had blessed him in so many ways. “He is serving You because of what he can get from You. But You take all that away and he will turn on You and curse You.” So, God gave Satan permission to afflict Job, but he could not take Job’s life.
Note: In the verses following we read of all the ways Satan attacked him —
· The Sabeans stole his oxen and donkeys, and killed all of his servants except for one that escaped.
· Fire fell from the sky and consumed Job’s sheep and those caring for them. Only one escaped.
· The Chaldeans attacked and carried off his camels and killed the servants. One escaped to bring Job the bad news.
· Next, a mighty weird-like tornado struck the house where his children were having a party. The house collapsed and all his children died.
We read in 1:20 “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 shall depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised”. (Job 1:20-21)
Satan was proved a liar. Men don’t necessarily serve God to gather great wealth and possessions. Men can serve God because they love Him and because of who He is. What a great truth.
But Satan doesn’t give up. His next accusation was “Skin for skin! A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones and he will surely curse you to Your face.” (Job 2:4-5)
This time God gave Satan permission to afflict Job’s body with terrible sores, all over. He was miserable and sat in a pile of ashes scraping himself with a broken piece of pottery.
To make matters worse his wife said, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2;7-9)
In each instance, Job proved Satan a liar. We do not serve God so He will bless us with health or wealth. We serve Him because of who He is and because He loves us.
Job said to his wife, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”
In 2:10 we read “In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”
· What have you gone through in your walk with the LORD?
· What are you going through at the present time?
· Are you standing firm in the LORD or has your faith been shaken?
In my last book, “Learning to Live” I share how trusting God is a learning process. It will go on for all of our life, in this present world. In Psalm 34:19 we read,
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”
Most of us, from time to time, will face adversity and it will be painful. Loss of any kind is usually painful. We can’t see it at present but we can be assured that God has a purpose in our pain and it is not to discourage us but to test us, and prove us and to silence our accuser.
God knows what He is doing. In Ephesians 1:11, the Apostle Paul wrote that our God “works all things according to the counsel of His will.” Folks, God is working in our lives to bring us to the maturity in our faith. At the same time, He is working to advance His kingdom through us. Listen to what Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.”
Someone wrote the following — “Whether Jesus calms the storm around you or calms you in the midst of the storm, you’re safe wherever He is.”
What are your favorite kinds of stories? Aren’t they usually true stories of people who have triumphed over some adversity or experienced great victory through some painful ordeal?
Each of us can learn from adversity. The pain from the problem can be a great teacher reminding us of our weakness and at the same time, crowding us closer to him who does all things well.
The writer in Hebrews 12:11 reminds us that what we are suffering “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
As I write this meditation, every member of our family is going through very painful ordeals. We are absolutely convinced of spiritual warfare and that Satan is trying to bring us down.
Solomon was right when he wrote, Proverbs 27:1, “We do not know what a day may bring forth.” But God does. Our times are in His hands and He is in control. (Psalm 3:15)
We need to remember that –
· God is completely sovereign.
· He is infinite wisdom.
· He is perfect love.
· He wants the best for us.
In Isaiah 38:17, King Hezekiah said, “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.”
The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.
For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.”
The Apostle Paul as a Christ-follower, went through many trials and he wrote:
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!”
To trust God, we need to know Him in an intimate, personal way. Have you welcomed Christ into your life? Are you daily submitting your will to His perfect will? If you are, you will be able to say with David in Psalm 9:10
“Those who know Your name will trust You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
I pray that each of us will learn to trust God because He is absolutely trustworthy.
I am your pilgrim in progress,
Pastor Leonard
