I'M COMING OUT BETTER!
TEXT:
"But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23 verse 10, King James Version).
God knows and is thoroughly acquainted with the way of the righteous (see Psalms 1 verse 6). This is so because "the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy" (Psalms 33 verse 18). According to verse 19 of the same Psalms 33, He watches over the affairs of His children in order "To deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine."
Obviously, it is a blessed assurance that God, our Father, is not unaware of our current trials, though excruciating and agonizing they may seem. To know that our loving Father is not only aware of what we're going through, but is indeed directing our affairs is soothing and comforting. This is therefore a call for steadfast faith amidst storms.
Dear child of God, whatever it is that you may be going through right now, the Lord is expecting you to not give up, but rather, to be strong in faith, trusting and believing that at the end of it, He shall bring you "forth as gold". God is determined to do it and this is what the Scripture reading for today is saying. It doesn't matter how hopeless your situation may be before men. With what you are currently going through, you should understand that your faith is under trial or test by the Almighty. In this matter therefore, stop arrogating the devil undue significance. Our Scripture reading says, "when he (God) hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Emphasis added). This is to say, in other words, that you are definitely coming out of it better, in Jesus name.
The lesson to be learned this morning is that in all your trials and temptations in life, you should see God with your eyes of faith standing by you. Don't see Him as standing aloof and uncaring, but as One that is in it with you, desiring to bring you out with a testimony, in Jesus name. Of course, the devil may have put you in the storm. Wicked men and women that are around you may be fueling it or heating it up to cause you further pain and shame. Don't let that trip you! So it was with the three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3. God saw them through it all. Believe me, child of God, you are coming out of this seemingly ugly situation with a testimony, in Jesus name.
What you should never lose sight of as a child of God is that He loves you dearly and plans to give you an expected end. He's emphatically said so in Jeremiah 29 verse 11.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
At this point in time, my advice to you is that you have an expectation, be firm in your conviction that this is not your end, that you are coming out of your predicament shortly, shining like gold, just as the Scripture reading for today says, in Jesus name.
PRAYER:
Thank You Father because You are committed to giving me an expected end in life. In my current situation, You are equally making me come out of it shining as gold, in Jesus name.