Momentum For Monday, September 12th 2022

“Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.” Job 1:22

I think one of the biggest gimmicks from the devil is to discredit and twist the character of God. For decades, I pinned every issue and problem on God. And let me tell you, I still can struggle with this years later into this Christianity thing. 

Job's narrative could have taken a whole different turn. He could have easily shaken his fists at God and yelled, "Why me?!" And honestly, who'd have blamed him? That amount of loss and suffering is unimaginable. I feel slighted when I wait longer than ten minutes in line to get a coffee.

Blaming God is crafty. It's such a sneaky, manipulative mind-game. The kicker in this is how incredibly persuasive it is to hold God accountable for our pain because he is omniscient and sovereign. And when we see the mystery in understanding the depths of his power and governing, accusing God becomes easy to do, if not accurate in our reasonings. We readily become Martha telling Jesus after the death of Lazarus, "If you would have been there then my brother would not have died (John 11:21)."

In our pain, it's normal to want justice. It's natural to seek understanding or a way that could have prevented the suffering to begin with. It's human to become angry in our pain. Job grieved deeply. He had his questions. But what he didn't do was accuse God. He didn't attribute anything to him that was out of context with God's character. If anything were to offend Job about God, all the loss would have been what did it. However, Job refrained from taking the bait of Satan, even in the throes of deep pain.

These days, I aim to be a lot like Job. Now when things happen, I try to look for the underlying narrative the enemy is trying to write in my life and avoid it at all cost. I keep truth in front of me and around me as much as possible. I always want to go there, but I know better. There's always a lie hidden in the desire to want to blame God.

“…Then give him this message, ‘Blessed are those who don’t doubt me.’”

Matt 11:6