Job 42:1-6
When God speaks clearly into our lives it is almost like a veil is lifted and what we couldn't quite understand or grasp becomes abundantly clear. This clarity might not even be related to our original question or complaint. It may simply show us that what we had originally been concerned with is, on the big picture, a very brief blip on the screen of life. Or, God may show us a glimpse of his priority list and we may discover that our #1 is really more like a #8 are #9.
God shows up for Job in a storm and questions him. Its interesting to me that God make no case for himself, does not answer Job's complaints, and offers no words of consolation. He simply asks questions like...
“Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?"
Job 40:8-9
Job held strong and refused to give up on God, proving that man does not just worship God for the sake of blessing. God gave Job perspective on himself and the world around him. God also didn't leave Job to his circumstances. At the end of the book God rebukes Job's friends and restores Job's name, gives him twice the wealth he had before, and grants him seven sons and three daughters.
I haven't posted in a couple days as my family has been working through a problem of our own and I found my self unable to make sense of what I was reading in Job. That is until yesterday afternoon. Though I don't yet have an answer for the problem at hand, I now have a renewed perspective. I have come to believe strongly that leaning in toward our fears and worries, authentically offering them up to God as a cry of trust will yield a renewed perspective and hope. God will not leave us to our circumstances but, bringing us through the storm, he will shape us and teach us to be more like him in his character.
In Jesus' Name
Amen
