Today, I set forth to get ahead in my studies, and I have done so. This is so that I don't miss another assignment for history like I did last week. I am more than caught up on my math work. I plan on getting my history done by the end of today, and tomorrow and the next day I will work on English and Theatre.
But, the story that I came here this morning to tell is the story of Job. I know, his story has actually already been told. The biblical book of Job gives complete and utter detail to the account of his misfortune and his constant faith in God. But, right now, Job's story is teaching me a lesson.
For those of you who haven't read that particular book in the bible, Job is a man who is completely right with God. He does everything he asks of him and isn't exactly "sinless", but he is a man of God. And Job's life is blessed with all of the things that he could want; a great family, lots of friends, cattle, land, riches, etc. One day, Satan comes along and says "Hey, God, I bet Job wouldn't be so faithful if you took everything away from him!" So, God lets the devil do everything but kill Job. He takes away his family, his home, his riches, and even his health. Through all of this, even though Job's friends tell him to curse God for taking away such wonderful things and ruining his life, Job stays faithful and worships God in the storm.
I was sitting in church yesterday, really bored and alone because no one was sitting anywhere near me and the sermon hadn't started yet. I was feeling kind of sorry for myself because only one person had come up and shook my hand that morning and none of the people who I though were my friends were there to talk with. I picked up my bible just to look like I was doing something. I started flipping through the pages, and then I remembered the story of Job. I was curious if I was remembering the story correctly, and so I flipped there and started reading the book of Job. I even continued reading it after the sermon started, paying more attention to what God might be calling my attention to than what the preacher was saying.
I began to realize that my story was a slight parallel of Job's. This meant that someone had been there before, and I could use their life as a model as to what I should do next. When I was in high school, I thought that my life was good. I mean, there were things that made me unhappy sometimes, but I was mostly content. Then, I graduated. I lost many of my friends, including someone who I thought was my best friend. I learned that I wouldn't get to go to a big university like I wanted. I lost companionship when I broke up with my boyfriend because I could tell that our relationship wasn't going anywhere. I lost any spiritual connection in my church, when the sermons stopped meaning anything. It seemed like maybe God had left me.
I have to admit that I haven't been that thankful to God for what I still have, though. I still have two great friends who have stuck around, even though I don't get to see them very often. I now have a paying job and I am getting some of my education done, even though it is online and at a small college. I guess I need to start being more thankful for the little that I still have. Even though I get lonely and sad, God still loves me. I guess I need to take a hint from Job and praise him in the storm, even though I don't know how or when the storm is going to end.
-EW
But, the story that I came here this morning to tell is the story of Job. I know, his story has actually already been told. The biblical book of Job gives complete and utter detail to the account of his misfortune and his constant faith in God. But, right now, Job's story is teaching me a lesson.
For those of you who haven't read that particular book in the bible, Job is a man who is completely right with God. He does everything he asks of him and isn't exactly "sinless", but he is a man of God. And Job's life is blessed with all of the things that he could want; a great family, lots of friends, cattle, land, riches, etc. One day, Satan comes along and says "Hey, God, I bet Job wouldn't be so faithful if you took everything away from him!" So, God lets the devil do everything but kill Job. He takes away his family, his home, his riches, and even his health. Through all of this, even though Job's friends tell him to curse God for taking away such wonderful things and ruining his life, Job stays faithful and worships God in the storm.
I was sitting in church yesterday, really bored and alone because no one was sitting anywhere near me and the sermon hadn't started yet. I was feeling kind of sorry for myself because only one person had come up and shook my hand that morning and none of the people who I though were my friends were there to talk with. I picked up my bible just to look like I was doing something. I started flipping through the pages, and then I remembered the story of Job. I was curious if I was remembering the story correctly, and so I flipped there and started reading the book of Job. I even continued reading it after the sermon started, paying more attention to what God might be calling my attention to than what the preacher was saying.
I began to realize that my story was a slight parallel of Job's. This meant that someone had been there before, and I could use their life as a model as to what I should do next. When I was in high school, I thought that my life was good. I mean, there were things that made me unhappy sometimes, but I was mostly content. Then, I graduated. I lost many of my friends, including someone who I thought was my best friend. I learned that I wouldn't get to go to a big university like I wanted. I lost companionship when I broke up with my boyfriend because I could tell that our relationship wasn't going anywhere. I lost any spiritual connection in my church, when the sermons stopped meaning anything. It seemed like maybe God had left me.
I have to admit that I haven't been that thankful to God for what I still have, though. I still have two great friends who have stuck around, even though I don't get to see them very often. I now have a paying job and I am getting some of my education done, even though it is online and at a small college. I guess I need to start being more thankful for the little that I still have. Even though I get lonely and sad, God still loves me. I guess I need to take a hint from Job and praise him in the storm, even though I don't know how or when the storm is going to end.
-EW
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