Learning through Job

About two weeks ago I started reading the book of Job. I couldn't believe how relevant it was to my life right now. I was excited to read and learn more. If you are going through struggle right now, I highly recommend reading the book of Job. Job had a perfect life. First of all he was a christian and was obedient. He was also blessed with a big herd and a large family. Job never had any major struggles until the devil wanted to challenge God. The devil thought that Job was only strong in his faith because he never had any struggles. So, Job's children die and Job gets a terrible skin disease. After friends try to counsel him with wrong counsel and Job calling out to God, God speaks to Job. Eventually Job becomes healthy, has more children and gets a herd back double the size of what he had before. This is just a quick summary of the book of Job. After reading for a couple days, I started reading something else and set Job aside for a bit.
Today was an unexpectedly difficult day for me. It was my last day of work before the summer. Normally this day is so exciting and it was, until the very end of the day. I realized that if I would still be pregnant from the first time I would be due in a couple weeks. If I would still be pregnant the second time I would be thinking just the summer is left. I realized what this day would have been if I would have been pregnant. I also started thinking about the school year and everything that happened from September until now. So, I ended up crying at work, (which I hate to do.) Luckily I was with some of my friends that understood. I didn't go to the end of the year staff party instead I came home to finish the book of Job. That is exactly what I needed. I was at the part in Job were God speaks. I felt as if he was speaking to me. Here is one thing I learned while reading.

How Suffering Affects Us

Suffering is helpful when:

We turn to God for understanding, endurance, and deliverance

We ask important questions we might not take time to think about in our normal routine

We are prepared by it to identify with and comfort others who suffer

We are open to being helped by others who are obeying God

We are ready to learn from a trustworthy God

We realize we can identify with what Christ suffered on the cross for us

We are sensitized to the amount of suffering in the world

It felt really good to know that I have been doing these things. I know that this suffering has forced my relationship with Christ to grow so much deeper than it had been.

Suffering is harmful when:

We become hardened and reject God

We refuse to ask any questions and miss any lessons that might be good for us

We allow it to make us self-centered and selfish

We withdraw from the help others can give

We reject the fact that God can bring good out of calamity

We accuse God of being unjust perhaps lead other to reject Him

We refuse to be open to any changes in our lives

*That was all in my Bible. I have a New International Version, Life Application Study Bible and I love it.

Lord,
Thank you for speaking to me through Job. I pray that I will just allow you to work and praise you while I am patiently waiting for what you have for me. You are the one that made the stars in the sky and the one that makes it rain. You are the creator of many wonders. I pray to you not because I know you will do what I want but because I know you can. I also know that your plan is way greater than I could even imagine.
I love you,
Ellen

You one know, another thing I am facing right now is trying to get pregnant again. For some people they are able to say we are going to try again and they know they will get pregnant right away. That is not the case for Scott and I, we tried for over a year before we got pregnant the first time, (during that time I thought that was going to be our biggest struggle.) I need to give this worry to God. Please pray that Scott and I are able to be patient and not get frustrated during this time.