I Have An Attitude...Tuesday

"Curse God and die!" She screamed at her husband. It was all too much. She’d had enough. First they were healthy, wealthy, and enjoying a wonderful family life with their sons and daughters. God had poured out His blessings upon them beyond human imagination – until–every possession, and their family, was torn from them. What would I do in such a situation? What would you do? They’d lived worshipping God and enjoying His blessings - what had they done wrong to incur such wrath?! They hadn't.


In Job 1 we read: a messenger came to Job and brought the news that the plowing oxen and the donkeys who were feeding beside them, were attacked by an enemy who killed the servants and took the stock. While he was speaking, a second messenger came telling Job the sheep and the servants were consumed by a fire from heaven. Then a third messenger came saying that another enemy came and raided the herd of camels, killing the servants guarding them. While he was telling Job this, a fourth servant came to report that Job’s sons and daughters were together as usual and a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house which then fell on the young people and they died.
Now I understood where Job's wife was coming from when she yelled at her husband. What would my attitude be if even one of these crisis' occurred in my life? What would be yours?
Job’s attitude was to do what he’d always done, he worshipped God. What?! No accusations against Him? No fist shaking against Him? No questioning of Why? Why? God?!! It is recorded in Job 1:20-22: "Then Job stood up and tore his clothing and cut the hair from his head (the natural way of expressing grief then). And he fell to the ground and worshipped. He said, “Without clothing I was born from my mother, and without clothing I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Praise the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or blame God.

Wow, I would think that with faith and confidence like that things would have immediately gotten better for Job - but they did not. Instead, oozing, itching sores break out all over Job's body from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Still Job did not accuse God. He did however, answer his wife. In Job 2:10," He told her, “You’re talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?” Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.
 
Why am I writing about Job? I have never faced as many troubles in my own life. Yet I do face fear, wrestle with doubts, struggle with understanding, and question why things happen the way they do. I realize that I am just like Job in that I arrived into this world without a stitch of clothing on my body, and I will leave it one day, taking nothing with me. But how I really want to be like Job is in his attitude.

What has been my attitude in the past several weeks? In all honesty, I confess that I have many times shared Job’s wife’s attitude. I whine with worry, cry in confusion, and fume with frustration. A friend will tell me that I am not as bad as Job's wife. But God has shown me what is in my heart. Self-pity and ungratefulness have been stuck all over me like Job's oozing sores. But God's love and forgiveness washes over me, healing me, cleaning me, and making me whole.

The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:5b-7 NASB

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Just listening to this worship song lifts my heart and reminds me that no matter what is going on, I can choose to be like Job, and worship God on the bad days as well as the good days: click here to hear Matt Redman perform "10,000 Reasons": 

Written by Sandy Schott