In the account of Job, we see a man who had everything. He was a man who loved God and was blessed mightily by Him. Satan, of course, didn’t like any of that and challenged God regarding Job.
Satan accused Job of loving God only because Job had been blessed. He intimates that God used those blessings to bribe Job into loving Him. God proves His point in this account and allows Satan to torment Job, but not to take his life.
Satan gladly obliges and throws it all at Job causing him to lose everything, even his health. But Job refuses to stop loving God. Job is tormented, he complains, he questions God, etc., but he never stops loving God and acknowledging God’s greatness.
We all know the end of this story...even though Job lost everything, God restored him many times over. Job never got his original kids or servants or business back, but he received many times over a NEW and wonderful life to live.
God is great and gracious in all His ways. He loves us and knows the depth of our suffering. Our problem is that we don’t wait long enough for God to fix or restore what is broken and lost. And, sometimes, even though things may never get fixed or restored, He will give you the strength and courage to get through it all and STILL have NEW life of joy and gain to make up for the suffering and loss.
Joni Erickson was paralyzed in a diving accident at 15 years old. She never got the use of her body restored, but God blessed her with a determined spirit and a whole new life that she says would never have existed if she were not paralyzed from the neck down! She is a singer, artist, speaker, and philanthropist. She is married, and she and her husband started an organization that repairs old wheelchairs and delivers them to paralyzed youths in poor countries. Wow—what was taken away in one way was totally restored in another. Don’t try to figure God out...just let Him work His marvelous ways in your life. To Him be all the glory!
(Scripture Reference: Job)
Satan accused Job of loving God only because Job had been blessed. He intimates that God used those blessings to bribe Job into loving Him. God proves His point in this account and allows Satan to torment Job, but not to take his life.
Satan gladly obliges and throws it all at Job causing him to lose everything, even his health. But Job refuses to stop loving God. Job is tormented, he complains, he questions God, etc., but he never stops loving God and acknowledging God’s greatness.
We all know the end of this story...even though Job lost everything, God restored him many times over. Job never got his original kids or servants or business back, but he received many times over a NEW and wonderful life to live.
God is great and gracious in all His ways. He loves us and knows the depth of our suffering. Our problem is that we don’t wait long enough for God to fix or restore what is broken and lost. And, sometimes, even though things may never get fixed or restored, He will give you the strength and courage to get through it all and STILL have NEW life of joy and gain to make up for the suffering and loss.
Joni Erickson was paralyzed in a diving accident at 15 years old. She never got the use of her body restored, but God blessed her with a determined spirit and a whole new life that she says would never have existed if she were not paralyzed from the neck down! She is a singer, artist, speaker, and philanthropist. She is married, and she and her husband started an organization that repairs old wheelchairs and delivers them to paralyzed youths in poor countries. Wow—what was taken away in one way was totally restored in another. Don’t try to figure God out...just let Him work His marvelous ways in your life. To Him be all the glory!
(Scripture Reference: Job)
Audio:(Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download mp3 file.)
| 09-14-11_job_-_how_god_turns_suffering_and_loss_into_joy_and_gain_lp_pst_10-07.mp3 |
Study Guide: (Download file to print Study Guide for message or view embedded file below.)
| 09-14-11_job_-_how_god_turns_suffering_and_loss_into_joy_and_gain_-_study_guide_-posted_10-07_lp.pdf |
RSS Feed