Job 5:8-9 “As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.  He does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.”

Words of encouragement can be hard to hear at times.

Job had lost everything precious to him and was in deep mourning, struggling to understand why this had happened.  I cannot fathom the pain and anguish that Job must have been experiencing.

Job is a hard story to read and embrace.  This righteous and upright man was struck down to the quick.  In today’s world we would log this story under the “bad things happen to good people” folder of stories.  Why do we go through terrible times?

Even as Job struggles with his calamity, his faith and hope, his will to go forward, God is there.  Job’s friends are there doing their best to help him through in their own way too.  What it all comes down to is Job working it out with God. 

This is still true for us today.  Whatever calamity may befall us, God is there with us.  Hopefully we also have family and friends that will do their best to help us through it too but it all comes down to us working things out with God.

None of us like to struggle; none of us enjoys suffering and mourning.  God uses even these things to bring us closer to him and strengthen our love for him and in him.  When we are at our lowest, who do we call on?  I come back to these verses in Job.  “As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause...”

Only God can provide our true needs.

Lord,

Thank you for these words of encouragement in a story filled with struggle.  Allow this to speak to our souls and encourage us today to remember you are with us always, in all things and in all times.  Keep us close to you heart so regardless of what we are going through we turn to you for our needs to be fulfilled.  All glory and honor are your Lord God, today and all days.  Amen.