What else have I missed

I was listening to a sermon online that was preached at our church recently. I had been unable to hear the whole thing because I had to leave early. The pastor was preaching on the fact that God is in control and we don't have a say in our lives. He used a passage in Job and I caught something that I've never noticed before. For lack of a better term, God set Job up. I had it in my mind that Satan had come to God asking to test Job. That is not the case. In Job 1:7 Satan walks in, God asks him where he came from and Satan answers that he was roaming around the earth. In the next verse, God out of the blue says "have you considered my servant Job?" God gave Satan the idea to ask to test Job!!! I never caught that before, it made me wonder what else I've missed in the Bible. It did prove something that I already believe, that God allows tragedy to happen in our lives and that no one is immune to trials and tribulation. The great thing about it though is that He promises to be there there every step of the way.

I was asked this week if I was getting stronger. My first reaction was, yes, I am. I'm doing pretty good, no major breakdowns lately etc. The more I thought about it though I realized that no, I'm actually weaker. I'm just learning to depend on God more and in turn I am able to rely on the strength that HE gives me. Let's just hope I continue to remember that.........I forget a lot.

Great is His faithfulness

I will admit, I've had a bad attitude this week. (So much for the previous post!) My Bible study focused this week on how we should see the good in every season of our life. It talked about the relationship between our heart/mind and words/deeds. We may not be able to control our circumstances, but can control our attitude during the circumstances. This week, I didn't like that focus. I avoided doing the lesson until late last night. I am certain that didn't get what I should have out of it. The actual class for the study was this morning and I've been thinking about it since. I do need to change my attitude.

You know how difficult it is to listen to someone that complains all the time? You want to avoid them because you know the conversation will be all about them and how bad their life is, they are depressing people! (I'm sure that I've been one of those people lately!) It made me think about the relationship between us and God. I know that God doesn't avoid/ignore us when we complain to Him, but don't you think that He sometimes sits there, waiting for us to stop being so negative?! There are so many verses that tell us to rejoice when various trials come or ones that tell us how He helps us through our pain. We have the greatest Strength to go to when we have problems, yet our first instinct is to complain. I know when I trust God fully, I see His work in my life much more clearly. Why is that so hard to grasp sometimes?!

Anyway, as I sat at my desk I was listening to a CD of hymns and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" was playing. It was an instant reminder that God is faithful and never changes, even when I am complaining. The words:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8