Big Problems - Bigger God
“He loves you too much to give you what you want too quickly.”
I love sarcasm, but not everyone speaks this language. When you find a fellow friend who is also fluent, it unlocks a new level of friendship. But let me warn you, momma. When it comes to your kids, you must understand that sarcasm is not always hereditary and not always understood by younger children.
What amazes me about The Living Word of God and about a growing relationship with Christ is that there are mysteries to be revealed to us. I can tell you with all certainty that no matter how long you have had a relationship with Christ, there is always more for you to know about Him!
He will never become stale or boring and, icing on the cake, He desires to reveal these truths to you. He draws you into a desire for more of Him and His word!
Ephesians 1:7-10 NIV
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”
Listen up, my sarcastic friends!
I have fun news for you. Sometimes God is sarcastic in His word!
Yes, you heard me right.
Don’t believe me, grab your Bible, right now! Read Job 38. I encourage you to read it in the AMP version, as it holds true to the tone we are looking for here.
God is coming in with a whirlwind to put Job in his place!
Through Chapter 40, God continues to ask Job, in a sense, “Who do you think you are?”
I love to read Job 38:4 as if God was saying, “But were you there? … when I laid the foundation of the Earth?"
Oh the personality of our Lord!
Job is aching over the question of why this all is happening to him. He finds himself in the counsel of, not so wise friends. He is dealing with the sense of “woe is me.”
Granted if anyone has the “right” to feel sorry for himself, Job, at this moment, does. Read the start of the book of Job and see what his life has become.
However, in the midst of all these feelings and questions, Job is trying to make sense of his situation within the limits of his own understanding. Then, God comes in with a new perspective. God reminds Job that His ways are WAY higher than Job’s! God shows that he does not have to explain His judgment to any man. What a place to be in!
The first thing God does for Job is not take away his problems, nor remove Job from the situation. First God leads Job to look towards Him, He focuses Job’s eyes off the questioning and unto God.
Psalms 16:8 KJV
“I have set the Lord always before me because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
When Job focused on God, his problems began to feel smaller.
Job 42:1- 2 KJV
“Then Job answered the Lord, and said. I know that thou canst do everything,
and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
After humbling Job, and focusing Job’s attention to the Master, God then had Job pray for his friends. God told Job’s friends to go to Job and offer up sacrifices for themselves. God accepted Job’s repentance and God wanted Job’s friends to repent as well. In the midst of Job praying for his friends, God removed the captivity that was placed on Job. God blessed Job with twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:10 KJV
“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Job’s life is insight into our Lord’s view of problems. His desire is for us first to give our worry and anguish over to Him. To trust His words are true and that He cares for us and will give us power through the Holy Spirit to stand strong.
Psalms 55:22 KJV
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Christ’s next desire and direction is that during our struggle we must recognize who He is. Understand that His ways are higher than ours. Then align (or even command) our thoughts, our worries and our desired outcome to come into submission to Christ’s will.
1 Peter 5:6-9 KJV
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in
due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom
resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world.”
As we trust in God to work this plan in and through us let our desire, dear sister, be that God can say of us what He did of Job.
Job 1:8 KJV
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
