Date: Thursday,
June 04, 2015
Chapters: Job
30-32
Message Title: Enduring Trials And Tribulations

Hello
My Friend,

Trials and tribulations, whether we know Jesus
Christ as our Saviour or not, take a huge toll on our spiritual,
mental, and even physical wellbeing. The sufferings of this world are
no respecter of persons, the same things can happen to Christians as
those of the world, it's who we have with us during these trials and
tribulations that distinguishes us from the world. “For
this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief,
suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted
for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well,
and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
- 1 Peter 2:19-21.

Job was just about out of words, there
was not one thing he could say that would convince his friends that
he was not hiding some wicked sin that caused all the tribulation he
was facing. He gets a little depressed that his friends are treating
him so badly. “But now they that are younger
than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to
have set with the dogs of my flock. Yea, whereto might the strength
of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? For want and
famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time
desolate and waste. And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my
face. Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have
also let loose the bridle before me. Upon my right hand rise the
youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways
of their destruction. When I looked for good, then evil came unto me:
and when I waited for light, there came darkness.” - Job
30:1-3,9-12,26.

As we walk with Christi, He will teach us
that sometimes God allows trials and tribulations for no wrong that
we have done. Going through these things teaches us that during times
like these we do not have to lose our morals to get through them, we
have the Spirit of God in us and He will help us through them as long
as we look to Him. “Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as
we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans
8:26-28.

There seemed to be no end to the cruelty of the
people who made his suffering even more painful and miserable, but,
the most troubling to Job was that it seemed that God did not care or
was not hearing him. He starts questioning his own faithfulness to
God, wondering if there was some hidden sin in his life that was
causing all this. “I made a covenant with
mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of
God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on
high? Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to
the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, and count all my
steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to
deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine
integrity. If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine
iniquity in my bosom: Did I fear a great multitude, or did the
contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not
out of the door? Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is,
that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had
written a book.” - Job 31:1-6,33-35.

There comes
a time when every faithful Christian questions why they are
struggling and wonder if there is some hidden sin they forgot about
so they can get right with God and end it all. The more we try to
find relief the more afflicted we become because we wreck our brains
trying to figure out what we did wrong. Can I tell you that not all
suffering comes from something that we have done. God knows what is
going on, He knows what we are doing and does not want us to behave
that way, He doesn't want us wallowing in our sorrows and beating
ourselves up trying to figure things out either. He wants us to live,
trusting Him, knowing that our faithfulness to Him will reveal His
blessings in the end. “Beloved, think it not
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though
some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached
for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of
God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your
part he is glorified.” - 1 Peter 4:12-14.

Job had
no more to say, he was exhausted spiritually, mentally, and
physically, he just wanted rest. The whole time a young man named
Elihu, a forefather or Samuel who would be a prophet and judge in
Israel year later, sat there observing all that was being said
between the four men. He begins to speak acting as the moderator
between them and God, expressing his anger toward them all. “So
these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his
own eyes. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were
elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth
of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of
Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very
old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. I
said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty
giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do
the aged understand judgment.” - Job 32:1,4-9.

Elihu
was angry at Job because he claimed that he was justified by his
actions and did not commit sin against God. This was false, Job knew
that he was not sinless, but he had a right to defend himself against
their claims because they were not true. Many times we are going to
be subject to persecution over things we have not done, people are
going to accuse us and try to get us to admit to something we did not
do. We do have a right to defend ourselves, in fact, we have a
mediator that already stands in our defense, that mediator is Jesus
Christ. “How much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot
to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that
by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance.” - Hebrews 9:14,15.


Today's Prayer: God,
I long to be faithful and true, but trials and tribulations are
always competing with my ability to be true to You. Lord, give me
Your power and the strength to keep going no matter who or what tries
to knock me down. No matter how many times I fall, pull me up and get
me going again. Give me wisdom, guidance, and the courage to remain
true to You at all times. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless
You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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