Where do you go and what do you do when your world is falling apart? I remember an older lady in our church who had gone through a great time of testing in her life. When her husband was about 50 years old, he suddenly died of heart attack. Soon after that her son was killed in an accident as he returned to college. About the same time, her other son was involved in combat in a foreign war and she was not sure he would ever return. During all of this, she continued to praise the Lord. Her faith grew deeper as she held on to the Lord.
Job’s life had been turned upside down. His servants, livestock, along with his children had all been taken away. He could have become bitter, blaming God and everyone else who he came into contact with. Satan’s first trap was to take away his wealth and children, but his second trap was more subtle. It was the trap of bitterness. Job did not take the bait.
The author of Hebrews talks about the dangers of bitterness in Hebrews 12:15. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.[1]
Instead of becoming bitter Job choose to worship and praise God. That ability to worship and praise God flowed out of Job’s relationship with God who he knew and trusted. Job 1:20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God[2]
When we worship and praise God, our focus changes from ourselves to the Lord. We begin to look up and when we do it changes our heart. Paul writes about this in Philippians 4:8And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.[3]
Are you in the midst of a difficult season of life? Let the Lord take your hand and help you look to Him for comfort, strength, purpose, and encouragement.
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[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.