Job and Ice Cube. You're Welcome.
"My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen you." - Job 42:5
Think you're going through a rough patch? Job probably has you beat.
He lost his wealth, his success, his entire family, and his health. One day, he was on top of the world. The next, he was sitting in silence, wretchedly alone, and covered in sores. Gross, man. It seemed even God did not hear or answer him.
His friends tried to comfort him. They mourned with him. But Job continued to suffer, blaming God, cursing the day he was birthed, and desperately seeking what I think we all seek at one time or another: vindication.
The dictionary defines vindication as "justification against denial." Job SO wanted justification.
Don't we ALL?
Justification: I want my voice heard from a platform. Any platform will do. Any audience will do.
Justification: I will smugly know I'm right about something, no matter the cost to relationships.
Justification: I will do this my way, no matter what anyone else thinks.
Justification: God obviously made a mistake here, so I need to figure out the next step on my own.
Job sought justifications. Vindication for his suffering. He questioned God's presence in his own life and was convinced that he was God's enemy.
When the Lord spoke to Job, He had some pretty powerful things to tell him.
In the immortal words of Ice Cube, "you better check yourself before you wreck yourself."
Is your morning coffee just not doing the trick? Open up chapters 38 through 41 and get ready for the reminder of who is boss:
The Lord says "Brace yourself like a man, I will question you and you will answer me."
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" - Job 38: 4
"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?"- Job 39:26
"Do you have an arm like God's and can your voice thunder like His? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Then I myself will admit to your that your own right hand can save you." - Job 40:9-12
And Job acknowledges that he was speaking of things waaaaay outside of his pay grade. He recognizes that God is sovereign and that nothing happens outside of God's authority.
But I read so much more into Job's response to our Lord. Job's ears had heard - meaning, his own senses had acknowledged what he knew to be true. But Job's eyes, his spiritual eyes, had been opened to the truth of the goodness and sovereignty of God. And these spiritual senses take constant practice and relationship with God to acquire.
When struggle arises in your life, are you quick to make assumptions about the reasons for it? Do you immediately respond, resting in your own worldly knowledge and decision making abilities? Shrug off any possibility that the circumstance might be intentional and proceed with your plan to solve it?
As a certified "fixer," I know this struggle well. I want to use my talents and resources and personality to FIX all the THINGS. Years of bulldozing my way into the solutions that I THINK ARE RIGHT, have led to much heartache and disappointment. There ain't enough blog space ya'll.
I believe God is telling us this:
1. Acknowledge Him in ALL the THINGS.
2. Give Him glory.
3. Let Him do His work.
And trust that He will open your eyes to his authority and give you rest.
Think you're going through a rough patch? Job probably has you beat.
He lost his wealth, his success, his entire family, and his health. One day, he was on top of the world. The next, he was sitting in silence, wretchedly alone, and covered in sores. Gross, man. It seemed even God did not hear or answer him.
His friends tried to comfort him. They mourned with him. But Job continued to suffer, blaming God, cursing the day he was birthed, and desperately seeking what I think we all seek at one time or another: vindication.
The dictionary defines vindication as "justification against denial." Job SO wanted justification.
Don't we ALL?
Justification: I want my voice heard from a platform. Any platform will do. Any audience will do.
Justification: I will smugly know I'm right about something, no matter the cost to relationships.
Justification: I will do this my way, no matter what anyone else thinks.
Justification: God obviously made a mistake here, so I need to figure out the next step on my own.
Job sought justifications. Vindication for his suffering. He questioned God's presence in his own life and was convinced that he was God's enemy.
When the Lord spoke to Job, He had some pretty powerful things to tell him.
In the immortal words of Ice Cube, "you better check yourself before you wreck yourself."
Is your morning coffee just not doing the trick? Open up chapters 38 through 41 and get ready for the reminder of who is boss:
The Lord says "Brace yourself like a man, I will question you and you will answer me."
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" - Job 38: 4
"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?"- Job 39:26
"Do you have an arm like God's and can your voice thunder like His? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Then I myself will admit to your that your own right hand can save you." - Job 40:9-12
And Job acknowledges that he was speaking of things waaaaay outside of his pay grade. He recognizes that God is sovereign and that nothing happens outside of God's authority.
But I read so much more into Job's response to our Lord. Job's ears had heard - meaning, his own senses had acknowledged what he knew to be true. But Job's eyes, his spiritual eyes, had been opened to the truth of the goodness and sovereignty of God. And these spiritual senses take constant practice and relationship with God to acquire.
When struggle arises in your life, are you quick to make assumptions about the reasons for it? Do you immediately respond, resting in your own worldly knowledge and decision making abilities? Shrug off any possibility that the circumstance might be intentional and proceed with your plan to solve it?
As a certified "fixer," I know this struggle well. I want to use my talents and resources and personality to FIX all the THINGS. Years of bulldozing my way into the solutions that I THINK ARE RIGHT, have led to much heartache and disappointment. There ain't enough blog space ya'll.
I believe God is telling us this:
1. Acknowledge Him in ALL the THINGS.
2. Give Him glory.
3. Let Him do His work.
And trust that He will open your eyes to his authority and give you rest.
trying to train myself to look through the journey, and find the silver lining, it's a struggle, cuz yeah, I want to fix it and fix it fast, and fix it good, instant gratification in doing it now, hard as Hades to wait and trust and let HIM do the work.
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