‘For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.’
Job 3:25
I’m learning.
And.
God.
Has been.
Faithful.
In.
Teaching me.
That.
The righteous.
Will.
Suffer!
But.
He will.
Deliver.
Us.
From.
It.
All!
This morning.
As I.
Read.
Job 3.
I noticed.
How.
Job.
Wished.
He.
Wasn’t.
Born!
‘After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job spoke, and said: “May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’’
Job 3:1-3
I found.
It.
Interesting.
That.
He said.
This.
But.
As I.
Kept.
Reading.
I noticed.
How.
He said.
His pain.
And.
Groanings.
Have.
Overtaken.
Him!
‘For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groanings pour out like water.’
Job 3:24
Look.
Suffering.
Is.
Part.
Of.
Our.
Journey.
As.
Servants.
Of.
Christ!
I remember.
Attending.
A marriage.
Retreat.
At.
Callaway.
Gardens.
With.
My wife.
Years.
Ago.
When.
I heard.
The term.
Long suffering.
And.
It.
Stuck.
With.
Me.
For.
A long.
Time.
But.
I didn’t.
Quite.
Understand.
What.
It meant!
Until.
Now.
After.
Many.
Years.
Of.
Marriage.
And.
Being.
In.
Christ!
I understand.
Now.
That.
Long suffering.
Means.
To.
Wait.
On.
The Lord!
‘I wait for the Lord , my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.’
Psalms 130:5
We.
Mess.
Ourselves.
Up.
When.
We.
Try.
To.
Force.
Ourselves.
Out.
Of.
Suffering!
Because.
The.
Suffering.
We.
Endure.
Is.
Designed.
To.
Humble.
Us.
And.
Teach.
Us.
We.
Are.
Nothing.
Without.
Christ!
That’s.
Why.
It’s.
Important.
For.
Us.
To.
Accept.
Adversity.
‘But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.’
Job 2:10
And.
Not.
Cry.
Or.
Complain.
Our.
Way.
Through.
It!
‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ‘
James 1:2-4
I’ve learned.
To.
Stop.
Complaining.
Since.
I’ve.
Been.
In.
Christ!
Also.
I’m learning.
To.
Accept.
Adversity.
Or.
Affliction.
In.
My life.
Because.
Now.
I know.
God.
Will.
Deliver.
Me.
From.
It.
All!
‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.’
Psalms 34:19
Let’s.
Learn.
From.
Job.
And.
Understand.
That.
Suffering.
Is.
Real!
And.
It.
Might.
Be.
Long!
But.
It.
Won’t.
Last.
Forever!
‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ‘
II Corinthians 4:17
Because.
We.
Know.
God.
Is.
Humbling.
Us.
So.
We.
Can be.
Used.
For.
His glory!
I love you!
And.
I pray your day is blessed!
In Jesus name, Amen!
