Day 13: Let Not

Back to the Bible

Discouraged? When it comes to people of faith in the Bible it is easy for me to think they were seldom discouraged...why they are in the Bible and that means they were strong in their faith, right?

Not so. Some of David's most profound Psalms are when he is frightened, discouraged, fearful. And then there is Job. We know the end of Job's story...everything is restored and then some. But Job was human and he experienced a grief that I can't comprehend. I would be devastated. This past week a family lost their son to drug overdose...I would be be devastated. Last year one of Becca's friends died in a car accident. I would be devastated. And Job lost all his children, his wealth...everything. What was his reaction? He worshiped. Yes, he worshiped. But he also grieved the day he was born.

"May the stars of its morning be dark; may it look for light, but have none, and not see the dawning of the day; because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes. Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?" Job 3:9-12

God can take it when we have these seasons in our lives. He can take our questions, doubts of purpose, fear of the future, lack of understanding why things happen. He is God.

John 14:1 (ESV)
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me"

We must believe in the Lord and his compassion. We must look for the purpose, or acknowledge is love in spite of our inability to understand. I must choose this day to trust him in spite of my inability to understand him.

Revealed

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 (MSG)

God is the giver of gifts and it is for his purpose not mine. What I have is to be used for him. Not to further my ambition or bank account. Continually look for how He desires me to use these.

Lord,

I want to recall the verse from John. I believe in you and don't want my heart to be troubled. Because I believe in you I can cry out to you and ask you for understanding. In the middle of the night I can ask you for understanding. In crises I can ask you. And you will respond in your time.

Thank you for Lonnie's part time job. Oh it was a miracle how you worked. The first place! The closest place. Even though he sensed the deceiver telling him not to go there...too busy, wrong time, etc. He sensed you saying go in! And in obedience he did. We joked before he left with a mental list of several potential places to see part time work. He said, "Honey, do I take the first job I'm offered?" I was the one saying, "Now don't be disappointed. It takes a while." Well that was in man's time but in your time...you gave him a job immediately and he didn't have to go place to place. It was you! Thank you Lord as you provide for our family and move us towards your purpose for our lives. Help us not to live so much in the future that we forget what you are doing this moment.

I love you and thank you for each moment with you.

Amen