Theoretically when I am placed under
any form of pressure, I am cognizant that it is for my benefit. God’s Word is
very clear on this! Let’s face it, who enjoys being tested? The first person my
mind runs to when the pressure is on is Job! As I sit at my desk in the very
early hours of the morning due to sleep eluding me, I find myself pondering my
predicament and I grasp that I am nothing like Job! Sadly our characters are
worlds apart! Thankfully we do share the same favour from God and without that reality
in my life I would be of all men most miserable. But that has nothing to do
with my accomplishments, Jesus Christ the Lord has afforded me that
opportunity, praise His name!
Job was a man of his eon that was like
no other, he stood head and shoulders above the rest, but not the way we would
deem someone to be cool as it were. He was not one of the boys, but he was God’s
man for the hour. God singled him out to glorify His own name. Great honour befalls
such a person, needless to say that with that rectitude great affliction will follow.
A person cannot expect to be blessed of God if He is not willing to walk the
talk! “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.” (James 1:22)
This was Job’s CV; “There was a man in the
land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who
feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1) – I am nothing like Job, but
I most certainly long to be more like him in character, he was a man who feared
God and “turned away from evil”. This is a massive declaration from God
about His character, he “turned away from evil”! How often do I turn from evil?
When I strip this down to it core, how much tolerance of that which is wicked do
I allow in my life? I may understand what I should avoid in principle, but how
much of that do I put into practice? Far too little I would suggest! God
forgive me!
Now
without yesterday’s event unfolding the way they did, I know I would still be
fast asleep and not pondering these life changing thoughts. Like I said it is
one thing to pen something, and even if what was said was accurate, it is quite
another entity altogether when it becomes that individual’s reality. Will we
pass the test? Job most certainly did but not without a lot of inner turmoil!
But God brought him through his trail, more blessed on the other side. Go read
it for yourself if you think life is treating you unfairly.
Now
for some perspective, the trial of my faith is but a fraction of what Job was
called to face and yet it presses hard, it looks to rob me of my faith in
Christ. Many questions flash through my mind; five steps forward and thirty backwards,
WHY? It is not important to find the exact answer, all I need learn is that God
is for me and not against me and that these verses must be believe through the most
difficult of times; “And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind
of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the
will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work
together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:27-28)
When I step back and view my current survival
from a distance, I want to laugh at the trivia of it all, so small and almost trifling
in comparison to so many other men and woman of the faith, those who have
carried God’s banner through their lives. However when I step back into my
little world it is my actuality that needs conquering and not theirs. I Thank
God for His grace and that He care for me. I may not like my current position, sadly
I may even mumble under my breath at times but I am convinced that it will be
worth it all, come what may! Whether we, through our own folly bring about God’s
chastisement into our lives or God conveys it for some other reason, I know
this, it is good for me and it will ultimately bring Him glory! I now need no
more explanation, if God is for me all I need to do is look for His grace to
settle me wherever I find myself. I must learn to be constant in flying that
flag for today, tomorrow and up until I breathe my last breath.
Signing off
Tyrone
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