Day 11 of 365...
Job 29-31
Job 30:24-25 - "Yet no one would stretch out his hand against a ruined man when he cries out to him for help because of his distress. Have I not wept for those who have fallen on hard times? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?"
This passage is the beginning of Job racking his mind to determine where he might have gone wrong. It's almost as if this is a last ditch effort to plead his case for relief from all that's going on. Who can blame him? To me, this all leads back to the refining process that I've talked about before. If I truly want to experience God with the depth He wants, then there are some things in my life that need to be purged (the refining process). Here's how I view the process. First, God points out, through different avenues (Scripture, spouse, pastor's sermon, etc.), something that He wants gone from my life. I go through a mourning process of losing something, which is ridiculous. I have an epiphany that this is actually a good thing because it draws me nearer to the heart of God (should realize this at the beginning of the process). God helps me remove that stumbling block (not easy). Then, I start the process over again. Here is what I've come to realize...the closer you get to the core of who you are, the harder the refining process is. For example, when you first give you life over to the Lord, He may start the refining process by telling you to stop cussing. While that may seem difficult at the time, in the grand scheme of things, it's a cake walk compared to what He wants you to give up or change down the road. The deeper you continue to press into God, the harder the process will become. However, the reward is that much greater, too! My prayer is that I don't have to go through what Job went through as part of my refining process. However, as I continue to press in to God, the more I realize that it doesn't matter because the fellowship is so sweet!
Job 31:35-36 - "If only I had someone to hear my case! Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me. Let my Opponent compose His indictment. I would surely carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown."
At this point, Job is finishing up presenting his case. He has gone through just about every example of where he might have gone wrong. This passage is important to me because it is a perfect example of what many people don't do today. Job is "owning" his possible mistakes. What do I mean by that? I've noticed today that when someone makes a mistake, the tendency is to blame someone else for it. It's never that person's fault. It a very rare thing for someone to say, "I did it. I'm sorry. I'll take whatever punishment is coming to me." I'm guilty of passing blame or making excuses, too! However, Job sets a perfect example of what I need to do in every situation. He says that he will carry his indictment on his shoulder and wear it like a crown. God has definitely made great strides with me in this area, but there is always room for improvement. The good news is that I'm not alone. We all screw up! Isn't that a relief?!? It takes more courage and more fortitude to own up to my mistakes and learn from them than to shy away from them and blame someone or something else. I pray God gives me the strength to not make mistakes, and when I do, the courage to "own" them and be better because of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment