Being as Job

What have I done wrong? What awful sin(s) have I committed to experience these difficulties?

A few days ago I heard teachings and revisited the story of Job in the Old Testament. Let me just say that it has opened my eyes to a different meaning of the story.

My family experienced some degree of financial crisis as of late. Me and my wife tried everything but it seemed we're never getting out of the whole. 

We did extra jobs, sidekick, selling our extra things, cutting back on expenses.. but it just didn't work. 

As we've exhausted all of our options, the only thing left was to turn to family. 

Though we did receive some help, we were faced with surprisingly assumptious questions, though well intended, I think.

Questions like;

"What have you done to get to this point?"

"What happened with you?"

These questions were in the assumptions that I or we've sinned and our financial struggle was the consequence of our wrong doing.

I have to admit. These questions got to me. I would lay on my bed at night, crying and thinking back to my life trying to figure out what sin have I done to cause this situation.

This is also the case with our generations today.

We think that because 'John' has a great paying job or a high income and he has a big house on top of the hill, that he must be very righteous. And since 'James' is struggling financially or simply poor and he lives in an apartment complex with his family at a undesirable neighborhood, that he is a sinner and must be doing something in contrary to the will of God.

I think, up to this point, I've been thinking of God as vending machine. One that as I do keep his commandments and do good deeds it would be as if I'm putting in coins into the vending machine. And by so doing, out comes the blessings!

I have totally forgotten that I am human and am in this world to be tested. I've totally left out the inevitable tests that I must go through to strengthen my faith and being.

This is when I appreciate the story of Job. 

A very righteous man and highly respected by his peers, lost everything!

Lost his house, lost his fortunes, lost his servants and even his children. 

I can only imagine what the community and his family/friends must have thought of Job.

The reaction of Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) were a good representation of it.

Job 4:8

"Even as I have seen, they that plow inequity, and sow wickedness, reap the same."

They were sure that Job is experiencing these things because he has sinned and he should beg God for forgiveness.

All the while, Job experienced his trials as a test of his faith. A test that Satan assured God that if Job would go through, Job would deny God and renounced his faith.

Though everyone was against Job, he still trusted God and his faith was strengthened.

From Job's experience, I've learned that faith really is spelled T R U S T.

This trust also means that you should keep paying your tithing, eventhough you'll fall short financially. Trust that if you'll do, God will keep his promise;

Malachi 3:10
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...I will...open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." 

Continue to do good and never waver. Trust that He is there and will see you through these stormy times. Always remember that life is a mystery but it must be lived with passion!

Good judgement comes from experience but Experience comes from Bad judgements. You are not off the path. It's just the way this world was planned. You are exactly where you need to be for your own benefit.

And so for all of us who are struggling and trying to get through one day at a time. Trust is God. Have faith and keep on pushing. It won't be long until we'll come through!