All Glory to God…
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“The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold” – Job 42:10
A lot of people know the story of the Old Testament figure Job. We hear a lot about people who have the patience of Job.
Everything that Job had was wiped away because he was used as a pawn in a chess match between God and Satan; to a lot of people that sounds unfair. How could God allow the people He supposedly loves to suffer just to prove a point? To be honest with you I don’t have the answer; if I had all the answers I would run for the office of God, but the last time I checked that position is filled.
However, there are two things that I do know that we can learn from the story of Job. One is that suffering is not always our fault. In the Old Testament people believed that all suffering came as a result of their sins. Sometimes that’s just not the case. Look at John chapter 9, the disciples of Jesus brought z man to Him who had been blind from birth, and they asked Him if this man or his parents’ had sinned. Listen to Jesus’ response, He said in verse 3, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor His parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
PRAISE GOD!!!! Sometimes when we suffer or have tribulations God is using us as an example to believers and nonbelievers of how someone who trusts in Him should respond. When we do suffer for no apparent reason we should remember the words of Luke the physician who wrote about the disciples in Acts 5:41, “So they went on their way from the council; rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer for His name.”
The second thing we see is that our suffering, especially our response to suffering, can shine God’s glory; and draw other people to Him because they see in us a spark that is missing in their lives.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my own salvation/conversion experience. In 1988 I was involved in a serious car accident; after I was released from the hospital I finished high school then went to and graduated college. While I was in college I got saved through the ministry of the Baptist Student Union and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
One person who truly inspired me to overcome my fears, doubts and questions that I had because of my handicap was Joni Eareckson Tada. Over the years I read and learned more about this remarkable woman of faith. Let me give a very brief synopsis of Joni and her extraordinary life of faith. In 1967 the summer after she graduated high school Joni had a diving accident where she became a paraplegic. Joni spent months/years going through rehabilitation. Joni now has an international ministry, Joni and friends, through which she spreads the love of God by meeting the needs of disabled people throughout the world.
Father, I thank You for allowing me to suffer to shine Your glory, and I ask that You would help me endure the pain and tribulation; so that others may see You in the midst of my suffering. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The image above may be found at:
http://blog.harvestbiblefellowship.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/job_vrienden.jpg
Yes, You Can Ministry 
