How Much Do You Trust God?

There are times when life just doesn't go the way we hope, expect or even think it should.




I was drawn this morning to read about Job.



I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and horror of that day when he lost everything except his wife and four servants. (And you thought he lost every thing except his wife.... :0 Read it in Job 1.)



But the devastation that occurred that day was unbelievable and imcomprehensible.



Sometimes it is easy to read a Bible story and stay disconnected from it. I guess that is why I like to write my stories. I like to get into the feelings, the atmosphere, and the full "drama" of what really happened in God's Word.



How would I even begin to write from Job's perspective? I can't imagine losing all my children ~at one time!



I believe that Job was disturbed when he lost his oxen and donkeys.
He was a businessman. He was accustomed to losses.



I believe Job was shocked when he was told about his sheep.
He had probably lived through natural disasters before.





I believe Job was outraged when the camels were stolen.
He now had no way to go recover his oxen and donkeys~ or to get his camels back.


But I believe Job felt helpless and in despair when he was told that all of his children died.
All of them.



Totally helpless.


Nothing left but his wife and 4 servants.



His livelihood~ his life's work was gone.
His children~ his pride and joy were gone.


In one day.
In one afternoon!



Almost everything.



We hear sermons about Job.
We look to Job when things are bleak for us.



But it is so easy to look at the whole story at once.


We see the loss, devestation and the restoration in one sitting.
We see that God's hand was with Him the entire time.
We see the beginning and the end of the story, the bad and the good.



But what did Job see?
What did Job hear?
What did Job feel?




He didn't see God's hand.
He didn't see the restoration until it came to pass.
He didn't hear God's conversation with the enemy.
He didn't feel blessed and prosperous.


There were years of depletion and leanness.


His fortune was not restored the next day.


His children did not come back to life.





He did work hard and rebuild his business.
He did have more children.

But that rebuilding took time and immense effort.
He had more sons and daughters~ but he still missed his deceased children.



Basically, Job still experienced the pain that came with that emotional loss.
The physical loss we can bear, but that grieving of the loss of loved ones is not so mechanical.

Put yourself in Job's shoes.


I don't care how many children you have, if you lose your child~ let alone - ALL of them~ you would still miss Susie's laugh, Johnny's smirk, Sallie's twinkle, etc.


You couldn't just have more children and that grief and loss be gone.
So what is my point?





Even though Job couldn't see God's hand with him through all of the difficult times, God was with him. God never left him.


And.... if God never left Job, He will never leave you!



No matter what calamity,
No matter what disaster,
No matter what misfortune
comes your way~




You can rebuild.
You can have happiness again.



Rebuilding takes time
Healing takes time.

But there is HOPE.

God is faithful and His Mercies are new EVERY morning!



We must put all of our TRUST in Him. That is what was so special about Job.
Every thing went wrong.
Things were not good.



But ~
he still said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. Job 13:15



Now that my friend is TRUST.





How much do you TRUST God?





blessings as you ponder this question today!





dorinda