Monday 7/19/2021 Devotional

Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He binds up; He shatters, but His hands heal. ‭‭Job‬ ‭5:17-18‬ These words, spoken by Job’s friend Eliphaz, set the theme for the whole book of Job. The funny thing is that while they are true, Eliphaz (and Job’s other two friends) misunderstood them and misapplied them. They were sure that Job was being punished for his sin, and if he would just repent all his troubles would come to an end. It doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, yes, we bring trouble on ourselves by our sin and we have to be corrected but sometimes God is doing something else that we don’t know about, and what happens to us is a part of that. The important thing that we need to hang on to is this: God can be trusted no matter what happens. He still loves you and He will use everything that comes to you for good. You aren’t the helpless victim of circumstances; you are a beloved child of God and He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Disease? Pain? Poverty? Other difficult circumstances that I can’t control? God could heal me in a moment and pour out blessings so great that I wouldn’t know what to do with it all. If He chooses not to heal me or not to make me a millionaire, and it’s not because of my sin and weakness (maybe He couldn’t trust me with a million dollars!), then I can trust that God has a loving purpose in bringing whatever it is into my life. I can wait and trust Him, even when it hurts. Lord, in your lovingkindness You deal with each of us according to Your loving purpose. Give me a heart to trust You and be faithful, so that You are seen in me and glorified through my life, no matter what comes. Do with me what You will. I know You love me and will never abandon me; I trust You. Amen. Pastor Dan Giles