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| Learning more everyday |
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I was reading a devotion by Matt Redman a few weeks ago about Job and how when he lost everything, he questioned God. How did God respond? Did he choose to defend Himself? No. Did he choose to explain Himself? No. Instead, He chose to reveal Himself.
38:12 "Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, 38:13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
38:36 Who has put wisdom in the clouds, or given understanding to the mists? 38:37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
Job learns that instead of asking 'why?' he finds his answers by knowing 'who'. Matt Redman states, "It is not found in questioning God's worth, but in seeing Him for who He is. God answers the problem of Job's suffering with the grand and wonderful mystery of His power and presence."
42:1 Then Job answered the LORD: 42:2 "I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted. 42:3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 42:4 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.' 42:5 I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee; 42:6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
How many times do we question God about things that have happened in our life? For myself, those times are too numerous to count. What I've learned from this is that I need to praise God all the time, during good times and bad times. I need to submit to His power and presence. I need to submit to His will for my life, even when I don't understand why things are happening because God does understand. God's worth doesn't change in spite of my suffering, so why should my praises to Him change?
1:21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
This 'submission' has made such a difference in my life. Instead of saying, "why me?" or "it's not fair,"I say, "God, I know that you are awesome and all powerful and You know what's best. Thank you. You are amazing." I'm amazed at the changes when I pray this way. It may be an actual change in the situation or just a change in my attitude after this prayer, I don't know. All I know is that this was something I really needed to learn.
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| To add a comment to "Learning more everyday" |
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| March 27, 2008 |
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| It's funny, this is something that I knew! I guess I just got used to 'complaining' to God and asking Him to change the situations that I forgot that I needed to praise Him and let Him be in control, where He belongs. Thanks! I really like how you put that, about the junk coming to the to to be skimmed off. |
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| March 31, 2008 |
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Thank you so much for this entry! It is so easy to accept all the beautiful things God does in or lives, but thanking him for the loss and pain is infinitely more difficult. It reminds me of a quote I saw the other day....
"Genuine surrender says, 'Father, if this problem, pain, sickness or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's, please don't take it away.' This level of maturity does not come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized so much over God's plan that he sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it is intense warfare against our self-centered nature" (Purpose Driven Life). |
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