Storm Troopers!

There is one line that appears in both yesterday and today's reading that I just adore...

Job 38v1 'Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm...'
Job 40v6 'Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm...'


STORMS
So we've seen a storm.  We've seen Job and everything he is and was; everything that identified him, his family, livelihood; everything completely destroyed.  We've seen his turmoil.  We've seen his questions.  We've seen his anger.  We've seen his friends and their unhelpful advice.  We've seen his doubt.  We've seen his pain, his frustration, his hurt, his desire for death, his unhappiness.... 

AND THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO JOB OUT OF THE STORM.
 
Doesn't this just warm your heart?  Doesn't it make you feel safe?  It's like God reaches into the darkness, into the high water, into the pain, into Job's despair and pulls him out.  It took a long time coming, but it came at the perfect time, so refreshing, so relieving, so breath-taking, so comforting.  Now my Dad is amazing.  I can be in the biggest pickle, have a huge amount of stress, be in tears, be miserable, be moody, have the weight of the world on my shoulders, yet my Dad ALWAYS manages to speak into my world, calm me, reassure me and make everything seem better.  He won't lie or dumb down my situation.  He won't turn a hurricane into a gentle breeze; he might not even be able to stop the storm, but his words bring hope, life, reassurance and let me know that he is walking with me.  (Praise God for my Dad).

Similarly, God didn't stop Job's storm.  He didn't dumb it down.  He understood the severity of Job's situation.  He knew all of Job's worry, fear, mistakes, fumblings around, doubts and so on.  Yet God spoke to Him and made everything seem better, gave him hope, understanding, comfort, truth, life.  


OUT OF THE STORM
 
What I love best about this, (and it does depend on how you read it), is that God spoke to Job OUT of the storm, as in OUTSIDE of the storm.  Whilst God was with Job and present at the scene, and whilst I like to think that God is next to me in my storm, another way of looking at it is that God was not caught up in the whirlwind of destruction and disaster, he was removed from it, on a firm foundation, not being swayed about by the chaos, but stood firm.  He was BIGGER than the storm, and not controlled by it or bound to it.  He spoke outside of the storm.  His words were not drowned out inside the turmoil and destruction.  He sees the bigger picture, He sees the future, He sees the exit, He knows the way out.  


 IF THERE WERE NO STORMS?

Like I said in my previous blog, I have no answers as to why storms happen, why Job went through what he went through, and why sometimes we go through the stuff we go through.  I have no answers as to why my 26 year old friend just died in child-birth.  I have no answer to why my friend's Mum has just been diagnosed with cancer for the second time.  I have no idea why another Christian friend who I look up to has attempted suicide so many times this year.  I have no idea why I have so much depression and anger and worry and stress.  

We all have storms.  I don't get it.  It's a fact of life.  Infact sometimes I think the storms as a Christian are bigger than those of a non-believer.  But rather than be overturned and uprooted and run away from the storms, lets stand strong and face them. Let me expand...

If Job didn't face the storm.... 
- he would never have surrendered wholly and completely to God in the same way that he did.
- he would never have explored the depths of God
- he would never have understood what he did about God
- he would never have trusted the firm foundation that God is
- he would never have experienced the awesome rescue when God spoke to him from the storm
- he would not have realised the power that God has in that He holds all things together, is in control of everything and is BIGGER than the storm
- he would never have felt the freedom and release once out of the storm's grip
- he would never have experienced God's blessing again
- he wouldn't have had a future
-
- 
- 
(fill in the gaps with more...!)

So to round up, if you can, take a fresh look at your storms.  Can you hear God speaking out of them?  What is He saying?  Or do you need to hold on a bit longer?  Can you picture God outside of the storm, holding your world together?  Can you re-evaluate the person you are and the increased knowledge and understanding you have after having been through the storm?  Can you learn to trust God as your rock, rather than perhaps relying on your own strength?  Do you need to surrender and trust God more?  Have you been dumbing down the severity of your storm and do you need to seek extra help to manage?  Have you learnt to tell God how you feel; to question, to be angry, to wonder...?


To finish, I love this lyric from Blindside's 'Eye of the Storm'

'Please see I'm walking in to the eye of the storm
And I'll still come out loving you even more'

And finally, another inspiring video from them....

Hold on, if God is so good, why so much bad?

Hi. Have I got a challenge for you today! 

So my last blog was about acknowledging the fact that it's ok to hurt, it's ok to be angry, it's ok to find it hard, it's ok in your darkness to struggle and not feel like talking to God. We need to stop being so hard on ourselves sometimes, accept hardship can weaken our humanness and not strive when it kills us or beat ourselves up when sometimes we just can't go on.  As long as we are genuine about this and not using it as an excuse to be lazy or ignore God then I think that's ok. 

However hardship does come to us all. Some more than others. Often it's not fair. Often we don't understand. I'm troubled this week by the news in which a 4 year old fell off a pier and drowned. And the conviction of the Norwegian man accused of murdering 77 people! Where is justice? Where is God? 

Hardships great and small hit us all. We don't understand. Job's troubles are no different. The poor guy has lost everything. When it can't seem to get worse, it does. Looking at yesterday and today's readings you can just see the height from where he has come... 

'Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,

when God's intimate friendship blessed my house' (Job 29:4 NIV)

'Terrors overwhelm me;

my dignity is driven away as by the wind,

my safety vanishes like a cloud.'

'I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;

I stand up, but you merely look at me...

...When I hoped for good, evil came;

when I looked for light, then came darkness.'  (Job 30:15, 20, 26 NIV)

So where is God? What happens when we lose everything? What happens when our world crumbles around us? Where is justice? Where is reason? Why me? Why us? Why is it so unfair? Why do bad things happen to good people?

It's not easy. I have no answers. I accept that it's ok to question and doubt. I accept that it's ok to be angry at God and question Him, and even not want to speak to Him. BUT my challenge is this...

HOLD ON!!!

We may not understand. We may struggle. We may be overwhelmed with troubles. But in our hardships, fears, doubts, questions... God IS there whether we can feel it or not. God understands even of we don't. God hurts when we hurt. He is an emotional God! Jesus, the image of God, cried, wept, laughed, mourned... He understands. God is bigger than it all whether we see that or not. 

So HOLD ON. Even if you have to abandon yourself to do so. Even if you have to say 'God I can't trust you right now things are too massive, do it for me' then say it. This has been my personal prayer for the last few months in my battle with depression. 

Let's be a people who are so rooted in Christ, so anchored in His word, so abandoned to Him, so trusting yet so honest that when trouble comes no matter how big, we stand; windswept and battered from the winds and the waves, we stand. Remember the further your roots go down, the bigger the storm you can face. 

HOLD ON

Darkness, depression not talking to God and Job!

I just love Job. It makes me love God more! Again, we have seen how this righteous man has had his whole life torn and ripped apart by disaster upon disaster. His children and cattle have been killed, he is riddled with illness, his friends are useless and his wife is even complaining against him. 

It's pretty obvious that this guy is utterly depressed, suicidal, miserable, and does not want to go on. Who would?  BUT what I love most about Job is his honesty. He says it like it is. He tells his friends how he feels. He isn't shy in revealing his emotions and turmoil. He is angry with God and admits it. Well done Job. 

Now this really encourages me.  Without getting too personal, (although actually it's a bit hard for me not to be), I don't mind sharing the fact that I struggle massively with depression and have done since a very young age. With this comes anger, frustration, bitterness, elation, ecstasy, loathing, hyperactivity, loss of appetite, anxiety attacks, headaches, stress, the inability to hold down a relationship and loads more craziness. The most annoying thing (which kinda makes it harder in a way) is that I have absolutely nothing to be depressed about. It literally is a chemical imbalance and disorder that I am facing. The last few months have been quiet on the blog front as I have really been struggling and been back and forward to doctors and so on. (No sympathy please I'm just illustrating a point and really want God to use this for His glory). Some days it is enough to get up for work and get through the day, let alone spend hours pouring over the Bible, praying and so on. This makes me feel worse because then I feel like a terrible Christian. As do the vices I sometimes use to numb the heartache. I'm not ashamed about this but, just like Job poured out his heart and wore his emotions on the inside out, so I am encouraged in my darkness. How many 1000's of people has Job encouraged through his openness? He certainly helps me! 

So Job says the following...

If only there were someone to mediate between us,

someone to bring us together, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him,

but as it now stands with me, I cannot. (Job 9:33-35 NIV)

For Job right now, it appears he cannot face God. In his deepest darkness it is too much for him to talk to God. He doesn't stop believing (although I imagine his faith takes a battering!) and he still holds on to Biblical truths and his knowledge of God. But in this tough time, comprehending God on top of everything else is just not a reality.  It takes a process, time and a touch from God to lift him up. 

 

Similarly, we can often find it toooo much to talk to God. Yes we should, we know that. But if Job, an awesome example of faith and trust can't at times, surely God understands if we are genuinely not up to it! There's one less thing to be down about!!! And sometimes the worst thing someone can say when people are that low is 'tell God'. Yes do. But when the last drop of life you have is needed for breathing through the next minute, I think God understands.  Correct me if I'm wrong. This is only one angle to a complex issue. 

Next, the thing I love about Job is that despite everything he knows that 'Indeed, this will turn out for (his) deliverance...'(Job 13:16 NIV). Absolutely awesome. In spite of his suffering he knows that God will turn this time around and bring deliverance. Note that Job isn't striving to bring this about himself, but in his weakness relies on God to bring deliverance to him. Know this in your darkness. I know in mine I often strive, strive, strive to fix things, figure it out, mend things and then mess them up even more... In my darkness I often do not have the strength to get out of bed, let alone bring about my deliverance. We need to trust God for this, even if that means doing nothing! God knows even if we don't. He understands even if we don't. 

Finally I love this verse 'in the face of the darkness light is near' (Job 17:12 NIV). It's so comforting to know that even though our eyes may even be blinded by the dark, light is near. Even though the darkness may stop us from seeing it, the light is near. So awesome. Sometimes knowing this is the only thing that keeps me going. I could never walk in depression without the hope that my God is there with me, has plans for me, is my strength, is my deliverer... Yes sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes it is a process. Sometimes I go realllly low before I get picked up but I do it all in God! And may He use this for His glory for 'He views the ends of the earth

and sees everything under the heavens' (Job 28:24 NIV).

So. Will it all work out for Job? Will God come to the rescue? Does he recover? .... Well I would leave you to read on, but we all know the answer!!! 

Praise God and His faithfulness! 

Prayer isn't enough, practicalities and smouldering faith

Hi. What an interesting read Job is!!! It's been quite eye opening really. Here is Job a man of wealth, righteousness, upstanding and respect completely shattered by death, destruction and disorder to his comfortable lifestyle. Everyone seems out against him, his friends who offer useless advice, his wife who tells him to "curse God and die!" (Job 2v9), and it seems that even God is against him. Yet never ever does Job deny God or renounce his faith. He has questions, he has doubts, he even appears suicidal, cursing the day he was born (Job 3v1). Yet he still maintains his (somewhat shaky) faith. 

Firstly, how quick are we to renounce our faith and beliefs when the going gets tough? Are we not often like the seed that grows on the path where the soil is not deep enough and the roots are stunted in their growth so at the first gust of wind or hardship we are uprooted and die? We must sow our faith deep, in good soil, using the Word as our nourishment, looking to and trusting God as our strength, shield, waterer, nurturer... (Matthew 13). One thing I love about Job is that, whilst he is in utter turmoil, never does he doubt God, never does he lose all hope. Yes, undoubtedly his faith is shaken, yes he has a lot of anguish, sadness and complaining to do, yes at times his faith seems no bigger than a tiny mustard seed, but he is so rooted in God that not even the fiercest scheme from the devil can uproot him, and faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew17v20)!  Let's be like this! Yes in trouble we are allowed to complain, get angry, moan, be miserable, not want to get out of bed at times... This is normal! Often I feel too high an expectation as a Christian to be happy and joyful all of the time! I'm not. Infact as someone who struggles with depression quite frequently I am often far from joyful! But I am determined to trust God, to not mask up my feelings and to wear my heart on my sleeve, because that's ok! It's real! Even when my faith seems to be no more than a smouldering wick and even when the fire has gone, I cling on, stand on the Word and trust God because even a smouldering wick will not be snuffed out (Isaiah 42v3)!

Ooooo tangent that's not what I had planned to write praise God. Lol!

So what I did want to mention was this. HOW USELESS ARE JOB's MATES!!!  So ok I don't want to knock them too much, they say some good stuff, have a sound understanding of Biblical knowledge from what I can see and are there trying their best to support Job. Bless them. However, their arguments are often poor, Job knows what they are saying, he doesn't need a pep talk in God's faithfulness right now, neither does he need reminding of his sin. Job has lost pretty much everything. And his friends think a good old chat will fix it all. Now, whilst I am totally pro talking, sharing, counselling and so on, sometimes this just isn't enough. Firstly we need to LISTEN, something which JOB's friends clearly don't do. Secondly we need to help people in practical ways with things they actually need help with. We need practical faith, not just the ability to put forward a good argument about God. Surely Job needed food shopping, help with doing the housework, clothing, feeding, bathing and so on during this difficult time where it seems that getting out of bed was a struggle! How often do we use the line 'oh, I'm sorry to hear that, I'll pray for you'? Someone has just spent their last penny and don't know where their next meal is coming from.  But it's ok cos 'I'll pray for you'. Someone confides in you about how lonely they are as they have no friends and our response is 'aaah, I'll pray for you'. Why not BE their friend, take them  out, introduce them to your friends... Yes pray. I LOVE prayer. It works! I'm not knocking it. But sometimes it's almost a get out. Guys faith without deeds is useless (James 2v20)! Let's be a people who love, who pray, who talk, who listen but who are PRACTICAL, not just doing what we THINK needs doing, but what ACTUALLY needs doing. Let's make a difference, not just a small difference but a practical, loving difference, being all things to all men, doing things for all men, meeting needs of all men (and women)... And Lord help me also!!!

The 'Rubbish' in Job

Hi y'all.

So after a much needed holiday I'm back and catching up on the readings!

Here are a few snippets for thought from Job.

Job 1v12 'So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord'

WOW!  How phenomenal is this; even Satan is able to be in the presence of God.  So often we can do things wrong and feel so unworthy of the presence of God.  We are often too scared to enter and face up to God.  But even Satan is allowed in His presence - how much more are we allowed to be through the saving grace of Jesus and through God's love.  Awesome!  God is big enough to handle even Satan - He is definitely big enough to handle us!

Job 1v20 'At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship'

So Job has just has cattle destroyed which was most probably his livelihood, and his family have been killed.  Quite a lot to handle for anyone.  I'm not sure I could handle this!  Yet Job still falls to the ground and worships!  What an awesome picture!  

Let me unpack this however.  So Job still tears his clothes and shaves his head - most probably a sign of mourning and defeat.  His immediate reaction is not to worship.  God understands.  Whilst in an ideal world, I would love to turn to God first in my troubles, I don't I look for vices and ways of coping.  Just like Job has.  It's ok.  God understands.  I hope one day I will turn to Him first.

Secondly Job falls to the ground.  He is unable to stand through the pressure of everything he has just heard.  I sincerely doubt that he is falling down on his knees to revere his Lord first and foremost.  He probably has no strength for that and no strength to stand.  I imagine his falling being more of a desperate collapse, but also of surrender saying 'Lord, I need You, You are all I have, be lifted up, I trust You and I am falling onto You to lift me up'.  Sometimes when things go wrong, all we can do is fall on to the Lord.  It's ok.  Do it. God is strong enough to hold you. 

And then Job pours out his heart (chapter 2).

How often do we bottle everything up?  How often do we put a mask on and pretend everything is ok?  How often do we hide our troubles and carry on as if nothing is wrong?  How often do we deceive ourselves by not admitting hardship.  Struggles are not failure.  Hardship is not defeat - just an opportunity for God to work!  Tell Him.  Tell God you are feeling rubbish!  Tell God you hate the way things have turned out!  Tell God you are not happy!  Tell God your anger!  Shout at God!  Tell Him what is wrong and how annoyed and frustrated you are!  God is big enough, strong enough, compassionate enough and loving enough to hear and understand.  Don't condense God to only being available in the good times.  I don't know about you, but it is in the bad times that I need God most.  And He has always been faithful to me, always been strong, always seen me through, never told me off for complaining without reason, never told me to stop shouting.  He is patient, kind, loving, compassionate, caring....


So back to the title - the 'rubbish' in Job and his dealings with it are not always too dissimilar to the 'rubbish' and hardships we experience.  Hopefully this will help you to have a fresh look on things and still end up 'worshipping the Lord'.