The patience of Job

Based on my previous post, anyone can see where my mind is during this time of year. I realize these are secular thoughts. Its so easy to forget the purpose/ reason of Christmas.

“The vanity of our human striving.”

Last week my pastor said, “Be careful not to keep yourself too preoccupied with drinking and eating the worries of life.” Seeing how gluttony and greed are 2/7 dealt sins… I took this literally and metaphorically.

Just the other morning at basketball practice a player came up to me and said she was feeling light headed, naturally, my first response was scolding her about not eating breakfast. When she said she can’t eat a full meal, I suggested a banana or some other fruit, she said under her breath “They don’t buy us fruit.” I was stuck…speechless.

It was in this moment I was grateful for the little things God has given me. Be it love, family, a roof over my head, limitless food to eat all the way down to a banana… Which I eat about 3-4 a day.

That was a Saturday morning. I told my sister and my parents about my encounter and how it’d been weighing heavily on me all day.

Sunday morning, we all went to church. My pastor is doing an Advent series. He spoke about the story of a Job. A man who was wealthy in more ways than monetarily. He faithfully praised God so much that God told Satan about him. Satan told God if Job had nothing… His praises and faithfulness would come to a halt. God disagreed and told Satan to take everyone of Job’s possessions away from him to see how he would react. And that is what Satan did. Satan took away Job’s land, children, money, workers etc., But Job did not question God!??

**At this point I would be boo-hooing asking “why do bad things happen to good people??” When the truth is.. bad and good things happen to all of us. **

Nevertheless, Job remain faithful and praised God constantly…. Even when he had nothing. Even when his friends were telling him how angry he should be at God, Job maintained his praise.

If God took everything away from me today…I cannot say with certainty that the first thing I’d do is pray to the very being that I felt took everything away from me. I don’t think I could have the patience of Job, especially in this era where we seek and are able to get instantaneous results.

Now, as lounge in my comfy bed, I think, about what my pastor said: God never takes what he won’t replace. Job was worshipping God before he came to his problems, so when his problems came, he knew what to do…don’t lose your praise. It may not be much to someone else, but it’s YOURS…WHAT GOD PUTS IN YOU, NOBODY CAN TAKE IT OUT.

For his constant, faithful praise…God gave Job land, crops, workers, children and 100+ years of life.

Now I ask myself this, the same thing my pastor and… Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and nothing else?

I say, though difficult… Accept it all… For he has given when I felt I was undeserving. It sounds crazy.. do all of these things.. be a faithful servant… Just to have everything taken away from you… To prove Satan wrong????

My faith assures me that I will always have my praises and God will always hear them.

??I honestly don’t think l look at something as simple as a banana the same way again?? I am grateful for these bananas I am able to buy in bulk… (Sounds weird right?? Lol) I guess my lesson was being grateful for what you have, no matter how seemingly miniscule…when and after you’ve had it.