"You look at me when I’m talking to you! Didn’t I tell you to leave that vase alone? Didn’t I? Now it’s broken and it is your fault. Look at me, Joe! Don’t you ever go near that table again!" Yeah...I remember my Mom telling that one time. Sadly, it wasn’t the first time and it was not the last. I loved my Mother dearly but there were times in my life that I questioned her motivation for being so "controlling". I thought I knew everything there was to know and she sometimes ’abused’ her power as my Mother. I also was smart enough to know if I gave my Mom too hard of a time, I’d have my Father to deal with later. That was never any fun!!
Have you ever had an experience like that? Often we think we know it all, no one can tell us anything, and we get angry when we realize do not know it all and there is always someone in a position of authority over us. It is very confusing at times. Job loved the Lord. There was no doubt about that however God allowed satan to bring misery to Job. Satan will bring confusion, chaos, and disorganization into our lives. Even when we feel the world is against us, we can find comfort in knowing that God is in total control! Satan can only do what the Almighty God allows him to do!
The book of Job answers one of life’s most intriguing questions: "Why does God allow His people to suffer?" Some ask ’why me?’ instead of ’why not me?’. Some say there is no God because if God was a real and a loving God, He would not allow bad things to happen. We get lost in our thinking. We get confused when we do not place our faith in God and allow Him to control. Job went from riches to rags. In your life, what Job-experience have you had? Were you riding high one day and in love with the star of the football team and dumped by that star the next day? Have you been loyal to your company for 25 years only to have your company bought out and the new company lay you off? Have you wanted something so bad you could taste it only to find that once you got it, you discovered it wasn’t worth the things you had to do to get it?
We might not go through the trials Job went through. I pray that none of us lose our sons and daughters in any kind of disaster! Hopefully our friends would not have us think our unfortunate circumstances are our own fault! Surround yourself with Believers so that when bad times come, you are not confused as to who is in control as you pray with them. The Almighty God is in control. If you are a Believer, turn it all over to Him, He is faithful to bring you through. As Believers, we acknowledge there is no other God and we trust Him - no matter how bad things get. Even Job, with all of his faith and dedication to the Lord, questioned God. Job told God that he was bitter! I’ve been bitter before when things have gone bad. Have you? We are no different.
But Job did not give up on God. Even though Job could not figure out why his life was going down the tubes, Job never gave up on the Lord. Job was honest with God. Are you? When you are honest with God - I mean really honest - your questions and conversations with God will be without anger and bitterness because you already know God does not want to see anyone in misery. God’s eyes are truly the eyes of compassion, care, and love. When we are bitter about something that has happened to us through no fault of our own, it is easy for us to sin and make things worse! We believe that we should retaliate against the person or persons we believe caused our grief and misery! Retaliation is wrong. Do not let frustrations get the best of you. Pray in earnestness to God. Lay out your concerns before Him.
God’s answered Job’s questions by opening Job’s eyes to see the sovereignty of God. God asked Job a series of questions that Job could not answer. Understanding who God really was, Job told God he now realized he was nothing and he would close his mouth. God restored Job. God will restore you as well. Have you had terrible things happen to you? Have you wondered why? Have you questioned why God would allow these things? Have you become confused and doubt whether God cares about your or not? If you have, then you are simply like the rest of us. There are things we do not and cannot understand. We do not know the ways of the Lord. We may be honest in prayer with God but we must never allow ourselves to think that God is against us. The scriptures say that God is for us! Won’t you invite Him to be your weapon against confusion?
Papa Joe Mac's Commentary:
"You look at me when I’m talking to you! Didn’t I tell you to leave that vase alone? Didn’t I? Now it’s broken and it is your fault. Look at me, Joe! Don’t you ever go near that table again!" Yeah...I remember my Mom telling that one time. Sadly, it wasn’t the first time and it was not the last. I loved my Mother dearly but there were times in my life that I questioned her motivation for being so "controlling". I thought I knew everything there was to know and she sometimes ’abused’ her power as my Mother. I also was smart enough to know if I gave my Mom too hard of a time, I’d have my Father to deal with later. That was never any fun!!
Have you ever had an experience like that? Often we think we know it all, no one can tell us anything, and we get angry when we realize do not know it all and there is always someone in a position of authority over us. It is very confusing at times. Job loved the Lord. There was no doubt about that however God allowed satan to bring misery to Job. Satan will bring confusion, chaos, and disorganization into our lives. Even when we feel the world is against us, we can find comfort in knowing that God is in total control! Satan can only do what the Almighty God allows him to do!
The book of Job answers one of life’s most intriguing questions: "Why does God allow His people to suffer?" Some ask ’why me?’ instead of ’why not me?’. Some say there is no God because if God was a real and a loving God, He would not allow bad things to happen. We get lost in our thinking. We get confused when we do not place our faith in God and allow Him to control. Job went from riches to rags. In your life, what Job-experience have you had? Were you riding high one day and in love with the star of the football team and dumped by that star the next day? Have you been loyal to your company for 25 years only to have your company bought out and the new company lay you off? Have you wanted something so bad you could taste it only to find that once you got it, you discovered it wasn’t worth the things you had to do to get it?
We might not go through the trials Job went through. I pray that none of us lose our sons and daughters in any kind of disaster! Hopefully our friends would not have us think our unfortunate circumstances are our own fault! Surround yourself with Believers so that when bad times come, you are not confused as to who is in control as you pray with them. The Almighty God is in control. If you are a Believer, turn it all over to Him, He is faithful to bring you through. As Believers, we acknowledge there is no other God and we trust Him - no matter how bad things get. Even Job, with all of his faith and dedication to the Lord, questioned God. Job told God that he was bitter! I’ve been bitter before when things have gone bad. Have you? We are no different.
But Job did not give up on God. Even though Job could not figure out why his life was going down the tubes, Job never gave up on the Lord. Job was honest with God. Are you? When you are honest with God - I mean really honest - your questions and conversations with God will be without anger and bitterness because you already know God does not want to see anyone in misery. God’s eyes are truly the eyes of compassion, care, and love. When we are bitter about something that has happened to us through no fault of our own, it is easy for us to sin and make things worse! We believe that we should retaliate against the person or persons we believe caused our grief and misery! Retaliation is wrong. Do not let frustrations get the best of you. Pray in earnestness to God. Lay out your concerns before Him.
God’s answered Job’s questions by opening Job’s eyes to see the sovereignty of God. God asked Job a series of questions that Job could not answer. Understanding who God really was, Job told God he now realized he was nothing and he would close his mouth. God restored Job. God will restore you as well. Have you had terrible things happen to you? Have you wondered why? Have you questioned why God would allow these things? Have you become confused and doubt whether God cares about your or not? If you have, then you are simply like the rest of us. There are things we do not and cannot understand. We do not know the ways of the Lord. We may be honest in prayer with God but we must never allow ourselves to think that God is against us. The scriptures say that God is for us! Won’t you invite Him to be your weapon against confusion?