Corona Devo 1267

How bad is it today for us (or for someone we love)?

Bad?

Desperate?

Has the situation festered and become ugly and even stenching, like an open, unattended wound?  

We've ignored-it long enough, we've "maybe-it-will-get-better"-ed it long enough.  We have delayed-dealing with it for too long, and the situation/relationship/finances/affliction/attitude has become a monster that has cornered us in every area and seeped into our skin.

We're stuck.  Grounded.   

~~~

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”  

(4) Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. (5) But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”  

(6) “All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” (7) So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.  

(8) Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes.  ~Job 2:3-8

~~~

How bad is it today for us (or for someone we love)?

So bad that if we had to present an image of how we feel (or how our loved-one feels), we might capture it as a person covered with painful sores (boils), sitting on the ground in ashes, and scraping their sores with shards of broken pottery?

That's bad.  That's low.  That's depressing and heavy (and disgusting)...and that's what was happening with Job.  (Is it what is happening with us today?)

Job's circumstances had brought him there.  Our circumstances may have brought us right there too.  (Or we lament for a loved one today who is sitting in the ashes with no hope or direction as they scrape at their sores.)

Through no fault of his own (Are we blaming ourselves for our misfortune or suffering today?), there were very difficult things happening in Job's life.  They were no fault of his own.  Some of us need to hear that today: that what we are going through is no fault of our own.  

(Sidenote--IF we are going through something and we are aware of sin or unresolved sin in connection with it, then we know it, and the conviction and guilt of the Holy Spirit is most likely already upon us.  We cannot continue in disobedience to god and expect His blessing.  

But if we are experiencing hardship today that we do not understand/can't pinpoint/have no guilt or conviction in relation to--then we can release ourselves from the unseen finger that we are pointing at ourselves.  Life is very often hard, and it is no fault of our own.)

Life had become difficult for Job.  Almost unbearable.

Is life difficult for us (or a loved one) today?  Almost unbearable? 

Please, keep bearing...God loves us and He is with us.

Job had lost his income, which included over 11,000 sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, and servants: through no fault of his own.  Job had also lost his seven children, through no fault of his own.  

And Job was left with his wife, but her "advice" and care for him were not productive or God-honoring, and as such, I was enlightened when we were discussing her at dinner one night and our middle son offered that Job had actually lost his wife too, because her heart was not loving, supportive, compassionate or in-union with Job as he suffered and faced affliction.  (His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”  ~Job 2:9).

Job had lost a lot.

He had lost just about everything.  His animals, his livelihood, his children, his health...but not his faith in God and his will to persevere in honoring Him.

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.  ~Job 2:10

~~~

Is life difficult for us (or a loved one) today?  Almost unbearable?  

What advice are we listening to?  Or...what advice and support are we providing?

~~~

How bad is it today for us (or for someone we love)?

Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes.  ~Job 2:8

Job could not understand or explain the pain and suffering that he was experiencing, but He knew Who to trust even in the ugliness of it.  

Don't lose your faith in God today.  No matter how bad the (physical/emotional/spiritual) damage is...hang on...hang in...and hold on to God.  
He is not lost, even if we feel as if all else is.


Blessings, 

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com


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