Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?  You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?

Have you ever had an argument, disagreement, or discussion with someone on a topic that you were willing to take a stand on because you knew beyond a doubt you were right? Then at some point in the dialogue you realized you were actually the one who was in the wrong. At that point did you immediately stop and tell the other person they were right, and you were wrong? Or are you like many of us, and you steered the conversation in such a way that you alluded to being wrong, but for whatever reason it was really not your fault; it was a misunderstanding. Well, I think this is where Job found himself. The difference here though is the one on the other end of this conversation with Job just so happened to be God.

Up to this point Job had the idea that somehow God had forgotten about him. It is here that God asks Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty?” Then the Lord tells Job to prepare himself like a man Job 40:7. Job doesn’t know it yet, but God is about to lay some truth on him. And he does. Ultimately God makes Job see himself for who he really is and who Job really isn’t. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation as Job? Have you found yourself in a place where nothing is going your way? A loss of a job or relationship, a diagnosis you were not prepared for, a loss of a loved one…Job is right there with you. He had just lost his possessions, his health was failing, and he lost all his children. Job’s first reaction wasn’t to praise God; it was to question God. Job did not understand why all this was happening to him, but in the end, Job chose to praise God. Is this your first reaction when things in life are so overwhelming, and you just don’t know why you are going through it? Do you accuse God of being unjust and uncaring of your situation? Job felt the very same thing.

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But you see, God showed Job that despite everything he went through, he knew what was going on in his life. He told Job of his of power over all creation, that he is in control of all things, that he is just, and that we as humans cannot accomplish what he can. As hard as it is at times to see God working in our lives, we must still trust that he knows what we are going through and is in control of every single detail.

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My challenge to you is to think about a time in your life when your situation seemed impossible, and you were in it all by yourself. I can imagine it was absolutely terrible and that making it to the next day seemed impossible. Did you put God on trial during that time because you felt as if he abandoned you and left you to do it on your own? Now I ask that you look at yourself today. You made it! You are here right now, because of the grace and commitment of God. Don’t ever think that God is not there for you.

Lord, I know you see me; I know you are there; and I know you care.  I trust you in all ways, that no matter what I am going through you are in total control. Please give me peace in my situation. Please give me the strength to make it to the other side. For it is in your Holy Name I pray, Amen.