Clinging to God When All Else Fails
August 7, 2013
“…Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.” (Job 1:21–22, HCSB)
Sometimes, like Job, we encounter situations which we cannot explain. We lose our house. Our spouse dies. A tragic accident leaves us childless. It is during these times when many people will question God. However some people have the strength to endure their own tragic difficulties. How does that happen? The answer is found here in Job’s response: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Praise Him!”
It takes real spiritual maturity to understand that God alone has power over my life. At times I may question that power. I may question why God does what He does. This will happen to Job too as he takes time later to process what happened to him. In the end, however, one has to acknowledge that God alone is the source of strength.
Inherit in the praise that Job gives to God is the idea that God is good, even in the midst of tragedy. Just like Job, we may question why things happen. We may wonder why evil people get away with corruption and why good people suffer. However, a true mature Christian realizes that God is still good, even when things are bad. It may take a circumstance like Job’s for a Christian to come to that conclusion. That is the point that God teaches Job. God wishes to teach us the same point: “God gives and He takes away. Praise Him anyway.”
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- Good Vs. Evil (chrislinzey.wordpress.com)
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