Searching
Encountered a friend today that is facing a real trial in his life. I will not go into detail, but it is genuine pain that he is feeling. Pain of wondering, "Where is God in all of this?" In fact he told me he had cried to God, "My God, my God why have You forsaken me?"
No doubt, we may have been where he is now. If not, we will be.
I was reading, thinking about Jeremiah 29:11 -- a verse that is used a lot, especially when young people are graduating from school -- but the verse says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Now originally the Lord gave this message to the exiled Hebrews in Babylon. They had been captured by God's instrument, King Nebuchadnezzar, and taken as exiles into a foreign land. Many were scheming up plans to rebel and revolt against Babylon. But God says, "Hold up. Pray where you are, and pray for the city that you are in -- pray for prosperity. Plant your gardens and get along. I will take care of you. I have not forgotten you." For 70 years they were there.
No doubt the temptation was there to question God and His motives. To ponder and cry out, "Why?!" To wonder, "Where are You, God? Don't You see me down here struggling? Have you forgotten about me? Can I trust You anymore?"
When my friend was sharing with me today, my mind immediately went to Job in the Old Testament. Job never knew what was up, and why he was suffering so. Here was a guy that lost his property, his health, and his children. And he was wounded, and he wanted a fair hearing from God to plead his case that he didn't deserve all this -- he wasn't as bad as his 'friends' had made him out to be.
I shared with my friend, and perhaps it really wasn't he wanted to hear, but that line from Job where he says
, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." (13:15)
Sometimes all we can do is stand on the promises of God. The promise that He is at work, that He has not forgotten His own, that He loves us -- perfectly, that all things are working together for our good and His glory.
He does see the future. He does have a plan for our lives. O for grace to trust Him more! I pray for my friend today. May he draw nearer and nearer to God.
No doubt, we may have been where he is now. If not, we will be.
I was reading, thinking about Jeremiah 29:11 -- a verse that is used a lot, especially when young people are graduating from school -- but the verse says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Now originally the Lord gave this message to the exiled Hebrews in Babylon. They had been captured by God's instrument, King Nebuchadnezzar, and taken as exiles into a foreign land. Many were scheming up plans to rebel and revolt against Babylon. But God says, "Hold up. Pray where you are, and pray for the city that you are in -- pray for prosperity. Plant your gardens and get along. I will take care of you. I have not forgotten you." For 70 years they were there.
No doubt the temptation was there to question God and His motives. To ponder and cry out, "Why?!" To wonder, "Where are You, God? Don't You see me down here struggling? Have you forgotten about me? Can I trust You anymore?"
When my friend was sharing with me today, my mind immediately went to Job in the Old Testament. Job never knew what was up, and why he was suffering so. Here was a guy that lost his property, his health, and his children. And he was wounded, and he wanted a fair hearing from God to plead his case that he didn't deserve all this -- he wasn't as bad as his 'friends' had made him out to be.
I shared with my friend, and perhaps it really wasn't he wanted to hear, but that line from Job where he says
Sometimes all we can do is stand on the promises of God. The promise that He is at work, that He has not forgotten His own, that He loves us -- perfectly, that all things are working together for our good and His glory.
He does see the future. He does have a plan for our lives. O for grace to trust Him more! I pray for my friend today. May he draw nearer and nearer to God.
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