Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Job was a righteous man who was tested in a way no one was tested. Job was a wealthy man. He had a wife, seven sons, three daughters, seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses (Job 1:2-3).

Satan presented himself before the Lord. The Lord asked him, "Satan, where do you come from?" Satan responded, "From going to and fro in the earth." "Have u considered my servant Job," The Lord questioned, "for there is no one like him on the earth?" Satan answered, "Is it for nothing that Job is a god-fearing man? Have you not n put a wall around him and his house and all he has on every side, blessing the work of his hands, and increasing the cattle on his hand? Put your hand against him and all he has, and he will curse you to your face."

God replied, "I give all he has to you. Do what you want but do not lay a finger on him." So Satan took all Job had. He took his children, sheep, camels, oxen, asses, and his house was burned to the ground. But through the trial, even though he didn't understand why it happened and even though he was hurting, he praised God.

Satan didn't like that, so he approached God again. He asked God to take his health and in that day Job would surely curse Him. God said, "Very well. Just do not take his life." So Satan took Job's health and made him extremely sick. His wife and friends tried to convince him to curse God and die.

Job began to wander why God would allow all of this to happen to him. He began to question God. But God answered, "Who are you to question me? Get your strength together like a man of war, I will question you and you will answer me. Where were you when I put the earth in motion? By whom were its measures fixed? On what were its pillars based, or who put down its angle-stone, when the morning stars made songs together, and all the sons of the gods gave cries of joy? Where we're you when I made the sea?...."

Job repented, "Truly, I am of no value; what answer may I give you? I will put my hand on my mouth. I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I won't do it again.

God answered, "Get your strength together, I will question you and you will answer me." After realizing Job was truly repentant and praised Him even through the toughest times, God eventually healed Job. Several years later, God blessed Job and doubled his riches.

In a way, my life has been like Job. When I was younger, I had many friends. My life was happy, peaceful, no stress or anxiety. As I grew into my teen years, however, things began to change. I began to find who my friends really were. I "lost" everything I had. My happiness and peace came to a screeching hault. I lost those I thought were my true friends. Stress and anxiety became a major part in my life. My trust in people became slim to none. I distanced myself from everyone (including God). My life was in pieces.

For several years, I lost my focus on what truly mattered. I began doing things that I knew was wrong. But I really didn't care. At the age of 18, I finally realized I needed to get my life back together. I was watching a video clip on YouTube called" God's chisel" by Rhett and Link. It was God talking to one of his children about all the bad things in their life. The person on that video clip God was talking to, was me. I immediately fell to my knees in the back bedroom of my house and wept and asked God to forgive me and help me get my life back to where it needed to be.

My life finally began to change. I became happy again. Peace entered my life once more. However, my trust in people was still in ruins but at least I could smile again. My life was finally coming back together.

A little over a year ago, a new family started coming to church. I started becoming close to that family and a year ago at the end of March, I began to talk to a member of that family more and we eventually became best friends. Finally, someone I could trust and talk to about anything. As time went on, we continued building our friendship; but, unfortunately, problems started. Things were said and we were hurt. A year later, things haven't gotten any better. In fact, it is much worse. Everyone is now telling me to let go of my best friend completely and give up on them and our friendship. I decided to try, but something deep down inside kept telling me not to give up. My friend needs me. This is a critical point in their life and mine. We need each other. However, now we aren't even allowed to talk to each other. But I will not give up!

Through this, I have lost focus again, I started going back to my old ways. But one Sunday night's service (March 1, 2015) really spoke to me. Bro. Tom spoke about Veils of Secrecy. Bro. Andy spoke about the catch phrase "Does it really matter".

The veils we choose to hide behind really do matter. We may say "It's just one time" or "It's something small, it won't matter." Don't tell yourself that lie. It will only take you down a road you don't want to go down. I told myself that lie more than once and after hearing those messages, I learned the hard way. Before telling yourself, "It's only one time" or "It's something small, its no big deal, it don't matter", think about the choice you are making. Don't go down the path I went down. I am still trying to get back to where I need to be. The path I was on made me stress so much, I was having panic attacks and caused a lot of anxiety in my life. It got so bad it put me in the hospital twice. Don't go down the road I went on.

Through all of this, though, I have learned something. I learned to be like Job. Even though we face tests and trials and the storms of life seem overwhelming, we need to look up and through it all, praise God. There is always a reason for a test or storm in our life. God is either trying to close a door He don't want you to go through or He is opening a door to something greater or it could even be both. God could be closing a door you are fighting to go through so He can open a much better door.

Another thing I am learning is to trust in God. He knows what we face and why we go through things. Sometimes it is a test. But remember, God is always there even when you don't feel He is. Remember, "A teacher is always quiet during a test." He will never give us more than we can handle. Sometimes He pushes us to our limit and if He thinks we are strong enough He will bump our limit. But He will only give you what you can handle... never more!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not onto your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6