Are you passing through an hard time?

An exceptional day to all great steemians and to my parishioners in @steemchurch. I'd love it if we consider our response to difficult times.

"Job 1:20 KJV"

"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped."

Prior to the above verse of the Bible, Job had lost literally everything including his offsprings. I thought his first resolve will be to shed tears but instead "...he fell to the ground and worshipped."

Image credit: TheDigitalArtist

What do you do in your darkness time?

What become of your heart when you're met with a bad and shocking news?

As Job's wife advised him, which he did not adhere to, will you lift up to voice to utter a curse to God?

Or, will you, as Job did, fall into His alms in worship?

If you had met Job while he worshipped God, it would have seemed as if he had lost nothing. Indeed, he lost nothing because he had the One whom is the Source of all things. The Bible says;

"...he worshipped."

A man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness.

Or, if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.

Trials, hard times, and tribulations are not meant to mar us but to make us. It is in and through these hard times we will come to understand what it means to be encouraged by God.

Thus says the Lord;

"...When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you. For I am Yahweh, your God. You are precious and honored in My sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life. Do not be afraid, I am always with you" (Isaiah 43:2-5, paraphrased).

God is forever with us as much as He is eternally indwelt us. We are strong and are capable of great and greater things. We are more than what we think of, or have been told about, ourselves.

Happy are you if you know these. Joy and rejoicing shall not cease from your heart and lips if you do them.

God bless you real good. Amen.

Shalom!