Live As One Who Believes!
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
Job 1:21
Things weren’t going my way and I began to doubt, worry, complain, and even cry. I was so focused on myself and my situation that negativity began to seep into the good things. My perspective and eyesight were transformed as I looked down rather than up.
In the Bible is a man named Job. He was a man of impeccable character and God even called him “his servant”. He had everything; wealth, status, and ten children. But Job’s story turned tragic. In one day he lost it all – including his children. Job, like many of us, understood exactly WHAT happened to him but of course, he didn’t understand the WHY.
When our hearts are broken, when we’re discouraged and disappointed, down and out, we may not understand the why and our focus tends to drift onto ourselves. Our thoughts are continually on our sadness and grief and our lives don’t demonstrate our belief and trust in God.
Job believed God and he lived as one who believed. Even though Job lost everything he worshipped. He was able to worship because he knew the character of God. He trusted God. He knew that God was good and in control of Job’s good times and his bad times. Because Job knew God he could look up in the good AND bad times. He could worship God through the tears, even in unspeakable tragedy.
Can we live like Job and worship even in the bad times? Praising God turns our focus to Him. Gratitude leads us to God’s good character. He has given us His promises. He promises to never abandon us. He promises to love us with an everlasting love. He promises that he never changes even when our circumstances do. He promises that He wants only the best for us and He knows what “best” is. 
Worship enables us to turn God-focused rather than self-focused. If we truly believe God, like Job did, we can act as one who believes, in good and bad times, even when we don’t know the why, and we can look up rather than down.
© 2019 Robin R King
To Ponder –
- What problem are you experiencing right now that has you self-focused rather than God-focused?
- When was the last time you reflected on and praised God’s character?
- Does your life display trust and belief in God’s good character?
Scripture References – Job 1
Job 1 New Living Translation (NLT)
Prologue
1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.
4 Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them.5 When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
Job’s First Test
6 One day the members of the heavenly court[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan,[b] came with them. 7 “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”
8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
12 “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
17 While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
18 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19 Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
