Thinking of Job

When my children were little, I would plan outings for them. Usually something simple. I’d think of what they would enjoy and then I’d plan a day that allowed for them to have fun. I’d think of where to go, who we’d go with, and what we would do. I’d pack up all the necessities and make sure they had everything they needed. They just needed to show up.

Most times it went well. My kids are easy to please. They are normally flexible and easy to engage. But every now and again it would go sideways. Someone, it could be anyone (even occasionally mommy) would be obstreperous. For some reason, a child would be sulky, refuse to engage, be too frightened or just plain difficult.

As a parent, you can sit back and look at the opportunity that they are missing. You can see their attitude derailing their fun. It was hard not to be angry. But they, for whatever reason could not see it. There was an obstacle in their way, and they could only see the negative. Sometimes it was imaginary troubles, sometimes it was real. Like a kid getting their shoes wet at the start of a hike and then complaining the whole way. Or someone would get hurt and feel sorry for their little selves.

I realize that I can be like this too.

Earlier this year we had a plan. A plan that would be good for our family. A plan that would help me feel like we were moving on from this whole stroke business. But that plan didn’t happen. It isn’t that it had a bad result or just didn’t work the way I wanted. No, it was just dead. Nothing!

We scrambled to find a new plan. I was furious with God. Really mad! I had managed EVERYTHING that life had thrown at me. I had proceeded one step at a time. I had stepped forward toward the goal line, slowly believing God would meet us in our mess. He didn’t.

It was by far the angriest I’ve ever been in my life. I’m sure God was frustrated with me too. I wasn’t easy to love at that point.

Now as I look back, with a bit of a different viewpoint. Watching all the chaos in the world around us. Now aware that God had a different way of providing for us. He did provide – in unexpected ways.

It is starting to look like he had our best interest in mind from the beginning. I could be wrong as the road ahead is still obscured. But… I can see more positives now than I could in the summer.

Today I went where all admitted questioners of God should go – to Job. After pages of questioning, crying, bad advice and council from man, God finally speaks to Job.

Job 38: 1-3 Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!”

Holy Thundering Clouds! That would have been scary. God is talking to Job like a parent talks to a child who can’t see the whole picture, or a teenager caught sneaking in late at night. He is bigger. He created it all. He is I AM!

I need to remember that! I need to remember in whom I put my trust.