In All This....

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” Job 1:20-22

At the end of the day, Job finds himself in total devastation after his messenger comes to relay the news that all of his livestock (livelihood) has been killed and all of his children have been crushed under a collapsed house due to a wind storm. Very few of us will ever experience total devastation in so many areas of our lives but what is interesting is the response of Job. He immediately took the steps which was the practiced steps of grief in that culture and period of time. (Incidentally, his period of time is believed to be during the time of Abraham.)

His actions demonstrated the immediate grief he felt in his heart and were representative of the way people grieved in that culture. Not only did he grieve, but he simultaneously worshipped God and “praised Him during the storm.” We talk about praising God during the storm but do we really? When I think about the storms that God allows in our lives I think about His anticipation of how we will respond. Will we gripe and complain as we lift our requests to Him? Will we blame God in an indirect way unlike Job who “did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing”?

What will our response be and will He be praised apart from our circumstances? Sometimes, the only thing quicker than praising Him for our blessings is blaming Him for our plight. I love the commentary for which my Bible states:

“It often seems that people are caught in events beyond their control, manipulated by God or Satan. They may feel forced into situations they would not choose if they were given a chance. While this seems unfair, there is another way – a higher way – to interpret the circumstances of life. We can see them as God-given opportunities to cooperate with his purpose and plans and, by serving him, to fulfill something far more significant than our own schemes ever could. One thing we can affirm, however: What seems unfair in this life will be made right in eternity.”

How will you respond in the storm?