The Patience of Job

Sadly, I heard a woman once say that "she didn't have the patience of Job", but it was said in a way to laugh off or to excuse her losing her temper because a certain situation wasn't working out the way she wanted.  But it's in our hard times, through our failures that God wants us to draw closer to Him, to exercise control over our emotions, to reach out to Him more. That's really what the prayer, God allow me to decrease in me and to increase in you (John 3:30) means.  We need to be so filled with God that whatever comes against us, has no effect on us because we have the confidence and trust in God that He is with us, He has already work it out for us and it will workout for our benefit in the long run.

What can we learn from Job's story?  What I've learned is that no matter how righteously we live, struggle is God's will.  So when the hard times do come, we need to be prayed up enough to lean on our faith to get us through it.  We see that Job was a wealthy man, so the favor of God was on his life. He had God's hedge of protection around him. In fact the Book of Job says he was blameless and upright, he feared the Lord and shunned evil.  This was a man that when he thought his children sinned, he offered burnt offerings to purify them.  

Then here comes Satan wanting the prove that we're weak and once things start going wrong we will abandon God.  The Book of Job is a great example of how being justified and how remaining steadfast in our love for and faith in God is the right way to be and live. Job, even when he was under attack, not just by Satan but by his neighbors and even his wife, he showed unmovable faith, explainable restraint and resilience in the midst of the storm. For his unwavering faith and trust in God, he was restored and rewarded.  Job's story shows us the benefits of never giving up on ourselves or giving up on God, even when things look bad.

I like God's faith and confidence in offering Job to Satan to be tested.  I even see how, Satan must go to God in order to test us.  This affirms that God is in control regardless of what situation comes our way, or by what way we come under attack. God is the key to truly living a victorious life and we have to condition ourselves, our heart and our mind to patiently seek and wait on Him.  The best way to do that is to remind ourselves of who God is, what He's done for us in the past and what His plan for our life is.

Pray for Peace

To have peace is to have freedom from disturbance; tribulation, stress, strife, upheaval, being of sound mind, having a sense of calmness, restfulness, quietness of the soul and tranquility. John 16:33, says In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”  It's important to note that we live in a sinful world and are surrounded by people who sin.  We ourselves are sinners, but working to live a righteous life. So until we are able to find or be lead to the right path, we're going to have missteps and suffer consequences.  Because Jesus has overcome the world, we as well are over comers. But without peace, obedience, submission, confession & repentance we are doomed to suffer distress, trouble, misery and sorrow.  We must know that God doesn't expect us to live perfect lives, but He does want us to seek Him first in all that me think say and do.  

Making a connection with God should be first on our to do list and be done on a daily basis. Making a connection is building a relationship with God.  Having a relationship with God is the same as any other relationship that we engage in.  To sustain unity in any relationship, there must be humility, partnership and sacrifice.  A relationship with God is a great example to model when we are building relationships with people in our lives.  When we humble ourselves before God, a rewarding relationship with Him is achieved. In order to be humbled we need to remember that God has authority over us and we don't have authority over him, so we must not only humble ourselves but also submit to His will. 

We must remember that our will brings destruction, disorder, separation & frustration. Acknowledging our faults and our weakness humbles us in order to be more receptive to God and be better able to sustain a relationship with Him.  I understand that in the midst of an escalating problem or a troubled relationship, remembering that no matter what is going on God is always in control may be hard to do. It's necessary, if we truly want to walk and live in the spirit and be better able to withstand trouble that presents itself.  We also would do well to remember that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us.  We have the power to be peaceful or unmoved by any situation that arises, just by praying for God to activate the power. 

Proverbs 12:20, says we who are counselors of peace have joy.  And to have joy, we understand, respect and know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28  
We are working in our faith when we pursue the things which make for peace and that builds one another up. Romans 14:19 

Work to be in God's rest. Hebrews 4:10, says for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.  Matthew 11:28-30, says if we who are weary and burden down come to God, He will give us rest. God also wants us to learn from Him, He is gentle and humble in heart, and if we model ourselves after Him we will find rest for our souls.