God speaks through Circumstances

Job did not understand why everything he owned was destroyed, why his children were killed, and why he developed sores all over his body (Job 1-2) Job Covered with Sores Job wrestled with understanding his circumstances. He did not know what was happening from God's perspective (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7) Neither did he know the last chapter (Job 42:12-17) where God would restore his property, his family, and his health. Job's friends thought they had God's perspective and told Job to confess his sin. Job could not find any unrighteousness in his life to confess. If you didn't have that last chapter and didn't know God's perspective, whose side do you think you would be on? God's or Job's? You probably would be with Job, saying, "I want to ask God what is going on. Why is He allowing this to happen?" Without God's perspective, you would think God was being cruel to Job. When you face difficult or confusing circumstances, they can overwhelm you. If you put yourself in the middle of the circumstances and try to look at God, you will always have a distorted understanding of God. For instance you might say, "God doesn't love me" or God is not fair." Both of those statements about God are false. Have you ever been in the middle of a tragic or confusing circumstance where, in your prayers, you began to accuse God of some things that you know are not really true? Perhaps you began to question God's love or His wisdom. Maybe you were afraid to say that He was wrong, but you sort of said, "God, you deceived me in letting me believe that this was the right thing to do. Why didn't you stop me?" A whole lot of wrong conclusions can result if you try to look at God from the middle of a painful circumstance. So, What do you do? First, go to God and ask Him to show you His perspective on your circumstance. Look back at your circumstances from the heart of God. When you face difficult or confusing circumstances, the Spirit of God again will take the Word of God and help you understand your circumstances from God's perspective. He will reveal to you the truth of the circumstance. Then you can adjust yourself and your thinking to God's perspective. When your circumstances are difficult or confusing: Settle in your own mind that God has forever demonstrated His absolute love for you on the cross. That love will never change. Do not try to understand what God is like from the middle of your circumstances. Go to God and ask Him to help you see His perspective on your situation. Wait on the Holy Spirit. He may take the Word of God and help you understand your circumstances. Adjust your life to God and what you see Him doing in your circumstances. Do all He tells you to do. Experience God working in and through you to accomplish His purposes. Remember that God is sovereign. you may face a situation like Job experienced where God does not tell you what He is doing. In those instances acknowledge God's love and sovereignty and depend on His sustaining grace to see you through the situation. Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby & Claude V. King image courtesy of All Posters

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• Posted on: Tue, Oct 30 2007 2:46 PM