I don’t know about you but my Christianity has been tested alot in this season. Having moments where i doubt if i am really born again.
My patience has been stretched thin, pride exposed, temptation camped at my door. More often than not anxiety came calling making me question how much i believe God’s word.
I have been angry, frustrated even overwhelmed which has exposed my weaknesses as a person.
But thank God for His abundant love which keeps drawing us back to Him, His grace available through our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy spirit who constantly reminds us this truth…
Sometime last year i started reading through the bible and the spirit of God has been leading me on which order to read. It just happened that I found myself at the book of Job at the start of this season. I believe this is what the Lord wanted to say to encourage me and someone else.
Please be sure that God does not bring disaster He only allows it to serve His purposes. For example in the book of Job when the accuser(satan) brings a charge against him, God permits it. Satan brings such tragedy in Job’s life like none of us has encountered. Sometimes God allows things to happen to us to refine our faith or even to bring us to repentance and salvation. There is always a spiritual battle going on in the spiritual realm between evil and good. With satan seeking those that will fall and join his cause. This reminds me of that verse in Hebrews 12:25-27 that talks about things that can be shaken .
When God allows us a glimpse into what is going on in Job’s life (in the spiritual realm) we see the devil accusing him of loving God only because of the blessings He has bestowed upon him but God defends him(from His testimony in Job 1:3 we know that God knew the heart of job). As a result of this chat in God’s throne room He allows satan to take away these things from Job to test but mostly refine his faith in God.
He is attacked in the three areas we as humans hold dear;
1. security (when God’s hedge of protection over Job’s life is lifted his children are killed in one day),
2. wealth (his property is stolen and destroyed),
3. health (as humans we hold life dear and do everything to be okay so the devil struck him with a horrible sickness such that friends deserted him)
What is the devil accusing you of before God? Just as satan accused job will it be true of you. Will you prove your love for God true?
In Job’s moment of testing he became so overwhelmed that he accused God of bringing punishment on him despite his innocence see Job 13:13-28. We feel his despair and see his endless complaint as shown in the first 38 chapters of the book.
In the end Job gains a new perspective of God and his faith is strengthened Job 42:1-6.
He realises his limitations as a human, error in questioning God’s wisdom and repents for his foolishness Job 42:6.
Murmuring and complaining is charging God foolishly. He said he will not leave us nor forsake us. When you say “God has forgotten about you because of the difficulties you experience you charge Him foolishly since He says He won’t in His word. And God has exalted His word above His name. That means He can NEVER EVER LIE. When you complain and say “I think God doesn’t love me anymore”,you charge Him foolishly. He loves us with a greater love than any you’ll ever experience in this life.
The bible paints a picture of God as that shepherd that leaves 99 sheep just to go after 1 that wandered from the flock and got lost. The reason He goes after the one is simple. He cares for each one of them and doesn’t want any of His sheep to be lost. He sent His son to die for us just so He can make us right with Him. It could have been just as easy for God to do away with us start a new universe but He didn’t. He loves each one of us. Every person He preconceived to exist in this world and He just wants us to know how great that love is.
Faith has a defiance that stands against what seems impossible. Believes what seems unbelievable and sees what is unseen. Like Job it is in low moments that our faith is refined and our spiritual muscles built. Romans 5:4 tells us trials produce character in us and character hope. We are tested most in the areas we struggle with in our flesh. That’s how we build character in our lives as believers. The call is that whenever we feel crushed we are to draw closer to God because that is the testing of our faith James 1:12-13.
Remember GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU THINK HE DOES.
Love muchly,
Liz😍😍.
