What Do You Choose?

 

(Job 2:1-10)

 

Satan comes before God a second time.

This time God points out that even though Job has lost virtually everything, his integrity still remains in tact. He is still standing strong in the Lord.

Satan's reply?

"Skin for skin, yes, all that a man he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" (Job 2:4-5)

Satan believed that if the Lord allowed him to inflict physical infirmities on Job that he would curse God.

Again, God gave satan permission to do as he wished, with one exception. He could not kill Job.

So, he made Job have painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

Job was in a lot of pain, yet he sat in the ashes, scraping himself with broken pottery, saying nothing.

As his wife watched him going through such torment, she was probably heartbroken because she loved Job and didn't want to see him suffer anymore. She was already distraught over losing everything, including her children, and now she watched as her husband was in tortuous pain.

In her fragile emotional state she tells Job to curse God and die.

 

It's interesting the things that are said when one is emotionally vulnerable. More interesting to me, was the fact that she encouraged her husband, who was known to be blameless and upright, to abandon everything he believed because he was suffering. Instead she should have been praying for and encouraging him to persevere. 

 When you suffer, your loved ones mean well, but sometimes they unwittingly encourage you to give in to your flesh, because they feel your pain and are too emotional to see beyond that. You must not give in to your flesh, but must continue in your faith, to live a life that glorifies God, even in the midst of pain. You must continue to persevere, knowing that God has a plan for even this.

 

Are you going through adversity in the form of an illness or disease?

I have been for many years now. I've been to more doctors than ever in my lifetime, had more tests done, been poked and prodded, and still, no one can figure out what is wrong with me.

I am in pain daily, some days are worse than others, and to top it off,I am without medical insurance now and  I recently (within the last 6 months) tore the rotator cuff of my left shoulder, which means more pain.

In it all, I know that God is with me.

 

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall  on me," Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

Psalm 139:7-12

 

 

He gives me strength, when I have none.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

 

 

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 27:14

 

 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

He encourages me through His Word.

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:103

Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

He keeps me in His care,gives me rest and comforts me.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:1-4

We all have issues to deal with, some worse than others, but having a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ makes life worth living, even when things are difficult.

How are you choosing to deal with your infirmities?

Believe it or not, you do have a choice.

You can choose to be miserable, bitter, and discontent with the state that you're in, OR, you can choose to cling to Jesus and allow Him to give you His joy in the midst of it, and His peace that passes all understanding.

What are you going to choose?

I choose Jesus!!