I am on a journey to know the Lord more intimately than ever before. Today was a day full of trials of various kinds that had me in many places of darkness. It is amazing though how the Lord will speak to you...tonight at I sought out something to study from His word I remembered that tonight was Coffee house at church, which I didn't go to Expresso is in class and I just needed to be alone with God tonight. I went to Renovatio Mundi (my local preachers blog) and read what the disccussion was going to be about. It just so happens to be about Job, trials, perseverence, and the work of God. It was a major reflection for me on my day and on how I handled my own personal testing from God and attacks from satan. I was dissapointed in myself and in my lack of faith. I realized today that unlike Job who humbled himself and worshiped the Lord when his life was turned upside down, he recognized the Lords soveriegnty and embraced it, I did the opposite. I struggled a lot with these truths but ultimately turned away from God than to Him.

Job 1:6-22
Satan Allowed to Test Job

6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 8And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 9Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason? 10Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." 12And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Satan Takes Job's Property and Children 13Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14and there came a messenger to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 16While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 17While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 18While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

20Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

22In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Think on these questions taken from RM today:

“Life is not fair, but God is good.” Based on what we know of
Job’s character and lifestyle do you think he got what deserved? Explain.

When you face trials of various kinds does your faith increase or decrease? Do
you turn to God or away from God?

What does Job teach us about the relationship between enduring hardship and
worshipping God? How important is God-centered worship and praise especially
during seasons of dust and ashes?

Life is full of trials and I just pray that during them His people will remain faithful to Him knowing that He is good even when life is not, trusting Him in them, and worshiping Him through them, let His people not miss the lessons of growth to be obtained through them and the realization that if we endure them we will be more like Jesus than when we entered into them.