Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 12, 2025

Let’s Talk About Grace – Part 3

We have been talking about forgiveness and grace and what God expects of us as His followers. Yes, we are asked to forgive, but we are not asked to forget or stay in hurtful relationships. Did you know He also gives us guidelines to deal with those who continue to display hurtful behavior toward us?

Proverbs 14:7 (NLT) states: “Stay away from fools, for you won’t find knowledge on their lips.” Depending on the relationship, this can be difficult, but it is the advice from King Solomon in Proverbs. If you have asked someone to stop hurting you and they will not listen, God tells us to stay away from them.

Proverbs 18:2 tells us that, “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.”  There are some people who will not try to understand how they have hurt you. They only want to talk.

If you have someone in your life who continues to use their words to hurt you, remember Proverbs 12:18, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”  If someone continues to be reckless with their words, do not expect them to begin speaking kindly.

When all else fails, Proverbs 22:10 tells us to, “Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.” Again, God is telling us that if we want to have peace, without fighting, arguing, and insults, we need to walk away from this relationship. It is sometimes easier to think you are working with another believer, but someone who continues this behavior is not walking with the Lord and we are to deal with them as such.

The important thing for us to remember is that when we honor God and His ways, it gives God a chance to work. He has designed these principles for a reason, and it is up to us to trust that He knows best.

Lastly, Proverbs 26:24-25 tells us,

“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.”

These verses show us that we need God’s wisdom(James 1:5) to know how to answer a fool. There are times when we do not answer their arguments and times when we do, especially in the presence of others when truth needs to be known. We can see these examples in the life of Jesus. He stood silently before King Herod (Luke 23:9), but he answered the Pharisees and shared the truth in front of others who were listening. (John 8:12 is one of many examples.)

The conclusion of Let’s talk about Grace is that forgiveness is required of us, but we do not have to stay in relationships when others continue to hurt us. God gives clear boundary lines to help us. Grace is a precious and expensive gift God offers to each of us. It is never to be used as an excuse for ungodly behavior of any kind. Grace is offered freely when our hearts are repentant because we understand our choices have hurt the heart of God and the heart of others.

“Father, thank You for Your extravagant gift of grace extended to us. Help us to be agents of Your grace and welcome the boundary lines You establish as we engage with others.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson (feel free to follow me @TerrieTollerson or check out my website at TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 11, 2025

Take Offense

“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17

Let’s face it. The world is evil. And we have an enemy prowling around like a lion, seeking to devour us—whose intent is only to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, fellow believers, we must stand firm. We must be prepared for the battle…and we must fight. In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul states clearly what it means to be a follower of Christ and how to walk in Christ as a husband, wife, child, and/or employee. Then, in chapter 6, verses 10-20, Paul instructs us how to prepare for our war against “powers, world forces of this darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” We’re given five defensive pieces of armor: the belt of Truth (Jesus—the Way, the Truth, and the Life); the breastplate of righteousness (our identity in Christ, as He exchanged His righteousness for our unrighteousness); shoes of the Gospel of peace (the gospel enables us to have peace with a Perfect and Holy God); the shield of faith (which protects us from the flaming arrows of the evil one); and the helmet of salvation (mind protection to keep away the lies of the enemy). Every piece of armor is a must-have.

But we also have a weapon that allows us to go on the offense: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. God’s Word is true, unchanging, a sharp two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)—and it’s a both a tool to sharpen our own walk and a weapon of discernment in a lying world. And God’s Word heals the brokenhearted, sheds light in darkness, gives comfort and guidance…and, most importantly, God’s Word reveals the eternity-altering path of salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9; 5:1; 8:1; 8:38-39). [Please note, sweet friend, that the Bible is never meant to be used to bludgeon and bloody others. It’s more like a scalpel than a machete!]

In thinking about the Bible as an offensive weapon, though, it struck me with a bit of irony (being the word girl that I am), that God’s Word is also very offensive to an unbelieving world. The Bible itself even talks about this in both the Old Testament and New! In Jeremiah, it’s written, “Behold, the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke; They take no delight in it” (Jeremiah 6:10). And Paul writes, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). But it’s not just unbelievers who get offended. When the Word is used as a mirror or plumbline to assess our own holiness (finding ourselves falling short but seeing the “how-to’s” to progress our sanctification journey), even modern Christians can get triggered. “C’mon, those verses about sex being only for marriage are so outdated,” they say. Or, “That teaching is only relevant for that ignorant culture 2000 years ago—not our science-based, 2025 world.” In fact, whole Christian denominations are taking it upon themselves to redact entire sections of God’s Word that they find offensive so as to better suit the way they want to live.

So, beloved, as we put on the full armor of God to stand firm, know God’s Word so you can take up this beautiful, powerful sword. It is our offensive weapon…and it will be offensive. So, like Paul, again I say, stand firm!

“Lord, help me to persevere against the evil of this world, standing firm in the armor of God and wisely brandishing the sword of the Spirit.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 10, 2025

Navigating Hope Filled Limitations

“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.” Psalm 71:14 (ESV)

None of us like limitations, do we? I’m such an independent spirit, so I definitely can default to trying to exceed limitations. However, right now my hurt foot has sidelined me from a lot of my normal life. Totally love long walks in the autumn on leaf covered paths. Absolutely enjoy being outside even if it’s to do yard work. And the gym that’s my fave lunch spot – weights and cardio energize me for the afternoon.

So what’s a girl supposed to do when limitations and restraints are ever present?

The past two weeks, I have to admit left me zeroing in on all the things I couldn’t do. I can’t get those walks in. I can’t do any cardio. I can’t do yardwork. And the things I can do are taking a lot longer than usual. The list was endless. All a bunch of no’s which weren’t serving me well.

A new week, a new perspective this past Monday. I made the decision to head back to the gym and do what I could. No cardio, but I can do weights. No leg weights just upper body lifting. Definitely not my norm but at least I’m doing something. And it’s amazing how releasing some of those limitations has at least given me light at the end of the tunnel.

What about you sweet friend? Are you facing limitations? Is there a normal part of your life that’s no longer doable? Do you feel sidelined from doing the things you love? Has negativity seized control of your thoughts? Are you rehearsing a long list of no’s or I can’ts?

Discouragement can loom large when negativity settles in even if it’s based on reality. It’s in those moments, we have to dig deep and intentionally choose to ask God to show us what we can do rather than settle for all the no’s. The more we focus on what we can’t do, the more discouraged and defeated we become. Yet, the moment we seek God’s perspective and visualize the possibilities, we gain momentum to do what we can. Sometimes that might look like simply getting out of bed and facing another day. Sometimes it might look like creatively figuring out a modified way to get something done. Often it’s simply doing the next thing we can do one step at a time.

Regardless of how we pivot, we must pivot in a hope filled direction. Creating a strategy that lifts our spirits requires constant communication with our God through prayer, worship and solitude (soaking in His presence). Avoiding the enemy’s game plan to focus us on negativity requires that we stay plugged into God’s word. Hope filled scriptures remind us of God’s amazing plans for our lives. Inspiring scriptures unveiling God’s consistent character of how He enabled His people to rise above the obstacles will strengthen and encourage us  to endure disappointments and keep moving forward at God’s pace.

It’s a lesson worth learning  – limitations and restraints may sideline us but they don’t have to steal our joy and peace in the One who infuses us with hope along the way.

“Father, thank You for reminding us that Your loving faithfulness has no limits. Your presence is ever surrounding us. And when life sidelines us, we simply need to pivot and keep our eyes focused on You, our ever present help.”

 

For His Glory

 

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 7, 2025

Inspiring Sisters

cb devo july 24

“When his (Joseph’s) brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:4 (NIV)

A simple compliment. A string of praise. All innocent accolades of appreciation. But what happens when we make one person the target of our praise? How do others feel when we overlook their contributions or ignore their positive qualities?

A trip back to Egypt would quickly reveal the twist and turns within a family overshadowed by favoritism. Jacob loved his son, Joseph, more than any of his other eleven children. Unfortunately, the reality of this father’s affection was totally visible to his entire family. Unkind words, hatred and jealousy spiraled out of control as these brothers saw the special way their father treated Joseph. And if you read the rest of the story, you will find Joseph deep in a pit at the mercy of his siblings. Sold into slavery and separated from his family for years, I’m sure Joseph would have traded all those favors for a lifetime with those he loved.

So what’s our take away?

Words of praise and compliments encourage us. Affirmation stirs us to exercise those gifts God has given us. As spiritually mature Christians, we should find great joy in others’ success and express our appreciation freely. But when we get unbalanced in giving praise and choose to show favor to one while excluding others, we fail to foster a climate of growth, unity and love that God desires. As a wise farmer fertilizes his entire crop so it will yield a fruitful harvest, we too should spread our praise so no one is tempted to be stunted by roots of bitterness or jealousy.

“Father, our words and actions have the power to inspire, encourage and uplift others. May we intentionally touch the hearts of everyone you bring into our path.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 6, 2025

The Gift of Peace

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 NLT

Peace. Isn’t that the essence of what we all seek? Peace of mind…knowing that we are secure. Eternally secure and also secure in the sense that we can pay our bills, have access to healthcare and can provide for those we love. Peace of heart…knowing that we are loved by God and that we love Him, and that all our important relationships are thriving.

John 14:27 is a significant promise made by Jesus after the Last Supper and before His crucifixion. The NIV translation, my usual go-to, reads: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” It is powerful because Jesus knew that His death would leave His disciples both troubled and afraid. He also knew that, later, He would provide the gift of the Holy Spirit to help them overcome their fear and gain true peace. I wonder if the fear and distress they experienced after the crucifixion helped them to later recognize and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit at work in them.

Recently, I read John 14:27 in the New Living Translation, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” This language caused me to ask myself some questions. Do I always have peace of mind? Do I always have peace of heart? Are there any ways that I am seeking peace from the world—-through my circumstances or relationships—when Jesus said that it cannot be found there? Do I recognize and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit? While my answers to these questions indicate that I am still a work in progress, I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

“Lord, your Word says that You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3). Help me to trust in You with a steadfast mind when the enemy attacks—seeking to kill, steal and destroy my peace.”

For His Glory

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 5, 2025

Let’s Talk About Grace – Part 2

“Do not say, I’ll pay you back for this wrong!  Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you.”  Proverbs 20:22 (ESV)

Last week we talked about how God asks us to forgive because that allows Him to forgive us, but also because He knows it is best for us.

That does not mean grace is a free football to throw around. Grace cost God the blood of His precious Son. Grace is not something to take for granted or to be abused.

Is there a time when seven times seventy does not apply? How do we balance the verses above with mistreatment, unkindness, and cruelty? What about the person who continues to do the same thing over and over? What about the person who intentionally hurts us? What about the person who asks for grace but for no accountability?

So let’s talk about it.

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is a decision we make to no longer allow the choices of others to dictate our feelings or reactions. Forgiveness is giving God our pain, our brokenness, and placing those who have hurt us in His hands. That gives us the opportunity to move forward in our healing journey, whether or not forgiveness is requested or desired. God promises to be close to us when we are brokenhearted as we walk through this difficult road of forgiveness. No one is saying this journey is easy or goes by quickly, but it is important that we obey Him and work through it, however slow the process may be.

Yes, God does ask us to forgive. Period. He does this because He knows it is best for us.

Forgiveness is one thing, but forgetting and reconciling is another. God is the only one who can truly forget. He tells us in Psalm 103:12 that He puts our sins “ as far as the east is from the west.”  We are not able to do that; we are not God. God does not ask us to do that when someone has hurt us. He asks us to allow Him to handle it. We have to trust that God, our Abba, our Daddy, can and will deal with those who have hurt us. Proverbs 20:22 says, “Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong. Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.’”  We have to give our pain to Him, sometimes over and over.

Imagine a five year old hitting a classmate. When they are confronted, they say sorry. Then they hit them again. This behavior continues. Hit, correction, apology, hit. First of all, we realize they either do not understand what sorry means or they do not care. Second of all, would you expect the child being hit to keep saying I forgive you while the hitting is going on? No! We would remove the child doing the hitting. After some time went by and we thought maybe the offending child understood sorrow and offered an apology,  we may try the friendship again. You can imagine the child being hit may not want to get too close to the child doing the hitting. If the hitting started back up, we would remove the child doing the hitting, and the consequence would be that they would lose their access to the child. Not because the child being hit did not offer forgiveness, but because the child doing the hitting did not understand the grace.

We are no different as adults. Other adults who cannot understand our hesitation or “hit” again do not get access to us. Period. We are sons and daughters of the King and the offending person does not believe that. Therefore, they lose access to us.

What does this look like in real life?

God asks us to forgive, but He also  gives us guidelines about how we deal with someone who continues to hurt us over and over.

We will continue with Let’s Talk about Grace, part 3. After forgiveness is offered and hurtful behavior continues, what do we do next?

“Father, help us to navigate difficult relationships with You as our Guide.”

For His Glory

 

Terrie Tollerson (feel free to follow me @TerrieTollerson or check out my website at TerrieTollerson.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 4, 2025

Accepting God’s Why

“Jesus answered them, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9:3

I absolutely love chapter 9 of John’s gospel. It is my salvation chapter—the first time I truly heard the gospel (even after hardly ever missing Mass for 30 years). The event of Jesus healing the blind man is profoundly beautiful. It speaks to the life (and eternity) transformation of faith in Jesus. We were blind and now we see! Dead, now alive in Christ! When questioned by the Pharisees, the transformed man didn’t have all the answers. He was not a seasoned apologist or theologian. He only knew that through Jesus his eyes were opened. (He did get bolder the more he was pressed, which is pretty cool.) For this man, though, it was after his healing and pressing that Jesus revealed Himself as the Son of Man—and he believed, surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We also see how his transformation affected his neighbors and parents. Just like our own salvation and sanctification is a testimony to those who knew us before Jesus…some will want what we have, some will plead ignorance and refuse to celebrate the positive changes.

But it is verse 3 in this chapter that burst off the page for me upon my most recent reading. When Jesus and His disciples initially walked by the blind man, His followers asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered them, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Now, before moving on, it’s imperative to state that the Bible is clear that there are indeed consequences to our sin (Psalm 38:3; John 5:14; Galatians 6:7-8…and most of the OT!). We also must be aware that the enemy of ours—Satan—is relentlessly trying to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8) the image-bearers of God (keeping the unsaved from surrendering to Him as Lord and keeping His followers ineffective for the Kingdom). Oh, but there is another—unreasonable—reason for suffering given in verse 3 that can be hard to get our minds around: God’s glory.

When we or a loved one (or anyone around the world impacted by this fallen world and sinful people) is struggling, we rightly cry out to God like King David, “Why, oh Lord?” and “How long, oh Lord?” And, like David, sometimes we can totally see the connection to sin…and then, there are times, like with our brother Job, that we simply don’t “get” it. Here in John, Jesus is saying, “Beloved, My thoughts are higher than your thoughts, My ways higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9)…this is purposeful to My glory—and You may never see it until you are glorified with Me” (Psalm 115:3; Psalm 131:1; Job).

Oh, sweet friend, what joy it is to wrap our small minds around this concept—a concept that can truly only be grasped through the Holy Spirit living in us. (Ever try to share with an unbeliever that a particular suffering could be for God’s ultimate glory alone? The typical response is something to the effect of, “Well, that’s not a God that I want to believe in”—I know we’ve all heard it.) But we must rest in this truth! If we are continuing in a sinful pattern that is reaping consequences, we must turn (repent) and follow after the Lord’s ways. But if our suffering has no human rhyme or reason, we must trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). We can question God—of course! We can cry out to Him in our frustration and anger—He knows it already and wants to hear it from our own mouths! And then, we trust. We trust that God is Sovereign and Providential. Everything He does—everything—is for His glory…and ultimately our good. Even if we don’t see it until we’re face to face with the Lord. His “why” is always perfect.

“Lord, even as I question the suffering of my loved ones—or even my own—may I land firmly on a trust in Your perfect will that is always for Your glory.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 3, 2025

Why Truth Serves Is Well

 

“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:17 (ESV)  “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” Ephesians 6:14a (ESV)

Edging down my front steps in early morning darkness is quite tricky with an injured foot. Yes, I was wearing an ortho sandal – quite stylish as I maneuvered each step slowly. And just as I got to the last one and stabilized my footing on the landing, I glimpsed something white and black moving in my lawn. Memory cautioned me that skunks, raccoons and all kinds of creatures often frequent our lawn since a farm borders our property. Frozen in place, I had no idea what was lurking within feet of me.

Best solution was to slowly (with injured foot) navigate the steps back into my house. My feet couldn’t get inside my house fast enough, and now I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t want to wait for daylight, so Plan B had to come into play. I grabbed an apple off my counter and decided to aim it right toward that moving  white object in the dark. And to my amazement, my aim was right on – revealing a white plastic bag moving in the breeze. Nothing to fear….just an illusion of what could have been.

Perhaps you have also landed here dear friends – facing what you perceived, and it was totally different than the truth. Sometimes reality paralyzes us or it  liberates us; totally depends on clarity in the moment.

Illusions can easily mislead us and deceive us. The historical tactic of our enemy dangling that apple in front of Eve’s eyes gave the illusion of knowledge and equality with God. And his tactics can mislead and confuse us as well. Delighting our senses with perceived good in an attempt to discredit our worship of the True One who always leads us. Taunting us about abundant lack tied to our devoted worship of God. Planting lies deep within our minds which eventually make their way to our hearts creating doubts and uncertainty. And unfortunately, once those illusions enter our thoughts and impact our desires it results in actions based on illusions not truth.

Think we’re immune to this – sweet friends, let’s not fool ourselves. Social media posts and podcasts are full of illusions posing as truth, convincing stories and attempts to paint a picture void of reality. Deceptions that invoke emotions which end up infiltrating our minds and impacting our actions. Often exchanging inner peace for envy, jealousy, covetousness, confusion and twisted half-truths from influencers.

Best plan of action is to always guard our mind, eyes and ears. What or who is consuming our thoughts? Where is our gaze focused? Who are we listening to? Simple yet profound questions. Reminders that worldly influencers are usually an illusion to the truth. Sound Biblical teaching and influencers based on the truth of God’s word will draw our hearts into a closer relationship with Him. A sure guarantee that we are grounded and truth roots run deep giving us a firm foundation when the enemy’s illusions seek to slay us.

None of us are immune to the illusions of this world. They can pop up at the most inopportune time, especially when tragedies hit, challenges arise and we are the most vulnerable. Preparation today positions a tight fortress around us keeping us protected from the enemy’s attacks. Choose carefully sweet friends, who will influence your life and make daily wisdom deposits from God’s word to ensure truth sustains you.

“Father, we are blessed to surround ourselves with Your truth and act upon profound wisdom found in Your word. Give us discerning eyes and ears to guard what we allow to take up residency in our minds.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Freedom, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 31, 2025

Simple Obedience

july 27“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. “  I Peter 1:22 (ESV)

Ever found yourself resisting obedience?  Or perhaps  how many times have we turned off the voice of God?  We hear His instructions loud and clear and then we walk in the opposite direction.

Haven’t always been good at tuning in –  sometimes doing what God wants requires sacrifice, humility, love and grace.  So we hear and choose to disobey or partially obey and pat ourselves on the back for a great job. But in God’s equation – partial obedience is still disobedience.

Witnessed some God listening as I maneuvered my car through Walmart’s Friday traffic.  I was eager to get home; my sister was not.  She had seen a lady hunched over wandering through the parking lot.  My quick response was to keep going – she was perfectly fine.  But, my sister’s tender heart was not hard like mine.  She insisted we drive up to this lady and ask if she was okay.  So reluctantly, at her persistence, we did.  The sweet elderly lady was lost. She couldn’t find the bus stop because she physically couldn’t stand straight up to see where she needed to go.  My sister pointed her in the right direction, and we didn’t pull out of sight until we saw her make it to the bus.  Simple obedience.

Love the way God doesn’t give up on us hearing His voice.  Grace filled, He orchestrated another circumstance and this time, I was alone. It wasn’t a lady in the parking lot, but it was a clear instruction to help someone in need.  As though I had misunderstood, I said , “Lord please make sure I’m hearing this right – you want me to do what?”  And when He confirmed the out of ordinary request, I simply obeyed.  Hope I keep this lesson fresh – that I don’t slide back to excusing His voice , and  I eagerly run towards what God is saying – no pat on my back needed.

“Father, I pray our hearts stay tender to Your voice, that life doesn’t sidetrack us to accept excuses or rationalizations when You simply want our obedience.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 30, 2025

It Wasn’t About Job

“The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”   Job 1:12

Reading through the Book of Job is not fun. If you’ve read it, you’ll remember that at the beginning, Job was a wealthy man, with seven sons and three daughters, and more livestock than he could count. He was a godly man, respected by everyone who knew him.

Enter Satan. He challenged God and told Him the only reason Job loved Him was that He had provided him with abundance. The next thing that happened shocks me from a human standpoint every time I read it: God took up the challenge and allowed the devil to take everything from him. God knew that even under those circumstances, Job would still love Him.

The devil had his permission. In one day, he killed off all of Job’s ten children and all of his livestock. Job went through incredible grief, but never wavered in his love for God.

The devil went back to God for another round. “If you take his health from him, he will curse you and die.” God again gave the devil permission to make him miserable with boils all over his body but would not allow him to kill Job.

If that weren’t bad enough, Job’s friends came to comfort him, but instead accused him of committing sin that brought on this punishment. This goes on for chapter after chapter, with Job claiming he had not sinned, and the friends calling him a liar. Still Job remains faithful to the God he doesn’t understand.

Finally, Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die. Job is still faithful.

I have read that book several times, trying to understand. So what is it all about, really? What is God’s point in putting that very difficult story in the Bible?

From Job’s point of view, it was all about Job. It was about loss, misery, and pain. It was about confusion over God’s actions when he had always been faithful to Him. Job wrestled with God verbally and finally came to the correct conclusion: God is sovereign. He has the right to do whatever He deems best, even when we don’t understand.

From Satan’s point of view, it was all about Satan. He was interested in knocking God down a peg and convincing Him that Job only loved Him for what he could get out of it.

But from God’s point of view, it was about displaying His sovereignty to Satan, to Job, and to everyone who would ever read Job’s story—including you and me. Job’s suffering for a while had millennia of influence.

Here’s what I’m taking away from reading about Job this week: When we run into the problems of life, and we’re tempted to pray, “Why me?”…maybe it’s not about us. It could very well be that He is using us for the benefit of someone else.

By the way, it is a relief to read at the end that after Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before, and the end of his life was more blessed than the beginning. Whew!

 

“Heavenly Father, we don’t ask for trials and tribulations, but when they come, we ask that you be with us as we go through them. Give us a confident trust that You know what You are doing, and your ways are higher than our ways.”

 

For His Glory
 

Cherie Williams (www.CherieHarbridgeWilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

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