Living in a Job’s World

Job 1:8  Then the Lord said to Satan, “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.” (NIV)

Have you ever wondered why you have to endure trial after trial, test after test, and storm after storm in your life? Does it seem like just when you think that you're about to get a breath of fresh air, the rug gets snatched from underneath you again? Has it left your head spinning and you wonder what will happen next, and as soon as the words leave your mind, another attack happens?

You may have had years of trials in your life that seems to have had only temporary moments of ease. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, guess what? They did! You may hav asked yourself, "Why is this happening? What is going on? Why does this keep happening in my life? When will I ever experience true happiness? Is there even such a thing as happiness for me, or am I doomed to be under what seems like a never ending curse?

            Job experienced this type of situation in his life. He was an upright righteous man who was perfect in God's eyes. However, God chose him to go through numerous trials. Just when he had received one set of bad news, one messenger after another would come to add on to his misery. When that didn't break him, the devil attacked his physical body. Job did not know what was going on. He had no idea that he was target practice for the devil's sick game. All he knew was that he would not curse God regardless of his situation.

            Many times, God allows tests to come our way to see if we will remain faithful just as he did with Job. He wants to know that we love Him for who He is and not what He can give us. He desires true and loyal servants who will trust Him even when things look dim and don't seem to be going in our favor. However, we must continue to have faith and believe that God can and will bring us through any situation that we face.

            Trials do not feel good. Tests are often nerve-wrecking, and storms can cause us to be unsteady on our feet. However, God will never leave His children to face things alone. It may seem like we are encountering situations alone, but even in God's silence, He is working things  out in our favor. We must never throw in the towel and call it quits. Just as in the story of Job, God will restore us with more and at a better position than we were at before. We must just hold on, keep the faith, and never give up.