The Lord has been doing some major changes in our
lives, teaching us some deep lessons that I would like to share. Up until June the Lord had been teaching us to trust Him in a very
simple way. The bills would come in, they would be paid. He always brought the
work in time. Always. Sometimes the very day something was due we would have no
way of knowing how to pay it but always before the day was over the money was
there to cover it. I finally came to the place of just trusting Him, if an
anxious thought arose it quickly was sent away by the realization that God
always provided for us. Always. Then June rolled around. We sent out our
monthly checks like before and one after the other they were returned because
of “Insufficient funds”. No work, no reprieve, nothing. I was totally shocked.
How could God allow us to arrive at that kind of trust and then BOOM, drop the
bottom out from under us? Had we sinned? Was it a test (for what)? Why??? We
waited and struggled to find enough work to put food on the table as well as
pay some of the bills and the multiple fees associated with an overdrawn bank
account. July, same story. It did not make sense to me, I know God does all
things well, but this just did not add up.
The Lord revealed to me that I had become angry with God. That sobered
me greatly and made me fall on my face before Him, begging for some sort of
understanding, pleading for peace. I went to my husband for help, asking him
“why?” his answer was so simple, yet so profound. “Even when we don’t
understand, we need to trust the Lord. It is not always going to be easy to
trust Him like it has been but we should trust Him even in the hard times.
Whenever doubt comes in, take it to the Lord right away.” So I began to pray
about that, especially “even in the hard times”. Then the Lord reminded me of
Job. WOW! God allowed everything to be taken from Job, even his children, and
it was still for God’s glory. Job basically answered the same way I
did…paraphrasing... “Why, what have I done? I am innocent.” Yet Elihu rebuked
him and his rebuke now stung me as well….
“Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that
God is greater than man. Why doest thou strive against him? For he giveth not
account of any of his matters.” (Job 33:12) and in 34:5. “For Job hath said, I
am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.” V. 10 “…far be it from God,
that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit
iniquity.” V.23. “For he will not lay on man more than right; that he should
enter into judgment with God.” V.29. “When he giveth quietness, who then can
make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Whether it
be done against a nation, or against a man only:” vs. 31-32. “Surely it is meet
to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: That
which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.”
The Lord is bringing us into a new level of trust. Up until
now we trusted that He would provide. Now He wants us to trust Him even if He
does not provide. Is our faith conditional? Will we only praise Him when things
go our way? Or will we still trust and praise Him when it seems like everything
is falling apart and we are faced with losing everything? Our dear Lord Jesus
Christ has a plan and purpose in all things that He does and in what He allows
to happen. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Does that mean that everything will go the way we want it to? No. All things
work for our good, even what seems “bad” works for our good. God is bringing glory
to His name and He has many ways of doing that. If teaching us to praise Him
even in the hard times will bring Him more glory, than I rejoice and am very
thankful for this deep lesson He is teaching us! Growth is painful, but oh how
blessed we are that He is willing to allow us to go through painful times that
we can grow through it. Praise Him! Praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
He is worthy of all praise and honor! Sing to Him, offer a sacrifice of praise,
He is worthy! (Hebrews 13:15)
