Do You Trust the Lord When You have Trouble?

Prayer ~ Lord, I am listening to You. Over and over I hear you say “be ready” and “don’t be deceived.” I’m sure You are referring to spiritual elements associated with eternal life. That’s what You are all about. Open my eyes and heart to applying Your words to my life, to our relationship, and to intentionally sharing You with others. Job had such trials…and even his friends treated him disrespectfully.

Listen to my words, Job; pay attention to what I have to say. Now that I have begun to speak, let me continue. I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:1-4

Mediate - Look at another Old Testament righteous person seeking God. 

Job. Is the Holy Spirit within Job? In this passage above his friend Elihu is confronting him. Elihu recognizes that God, that is the Spirit of God, made him as well as Job. He also wisely recognizes God’s spirit and power.

But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent. Job 32:8

In Job’s discussions with other friends who accuse him of sinning, he defends his innocence since he had done nothing wrong to offend God. He also stood up for God.

     Where have you gotten all these wise sayings? Whose spirit speaks through you? Job 26:4

     His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. Job 26:13

    For the Almighty has struck me down with his arrows. Their poison infects my spirit. God’s terrors are lined up against me. Job 6:4

     

Return to dust...
...like this lizard in the Utah desert.
Don't take back your Spirit, Lord.

If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say. Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge? Job 34:14-17

Whether Job had the Holy Spirit in him or not is just a quibbling matter and it is better to just recognize that Job continued to have a relationship with God—even when God allowed him to be attacked by Satan. Even when trials are overwhelming for us, like Job we should continue to seek the Lord, listen to the Holy Spirit, and deepen our trust and relationship with Him—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Verse of Salvation ~ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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