Focus in the Midst of Trials

 

I have read in God’s Word that God calls His people to be a sober people. Sober does not necessarily mean this person cannot have fun or enjoy life, but I believe one thing we can learn from being sober is how to be serious-minded and how to stay focused on the purpose that God has for each of our lives. I have been reading Job and have been extremely amazed at Job’s attitude in extreme adversity. When Job lost everything in his life, his response was, “the LORD gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job also fell on the ground and worshipped. (Job 1:20, 21)

 

Job’s friends visited him and tried to comfort him, yet they could not possibly understand the turmoil that Job was in. Job told them what was going on in his life, “Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.” (Job 6:2-4) Job was facing the darkest times in his life, and his friends responded self-righteously. His friends’ attitudes were almost as if they were excited that he was facing all of these tragedies. After all, Job was the richest and wisest man around. He had the most beautiful daughters. He was respected. He had God’s hand on his life. So, when Job’s friends had the opportunity to take a shot at him they did, “If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he (God) would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.” (Job 8:6) Basically, Job’s friend was insinuating that if Job was really such a godly man that God would still be blessing him.

 

I would like to share a few thoughts with you that you can remember when you are facing your trials. Many times, unfortunately, people will not understand the trials that God will allow to come in your life. God does not cause bad things to happen to us, but because of sin, sometimes bad things happen to good people. Many times when others are going through trials their friends use this as a time to point fingers; all the while not understanding that they have not been in the same situation. I have been watching a football game and have heard fans screaming at the players what they should have done differently in the situation. When in reality, they did not know the play that was called; they did not have the other team rushing towards them trying to take their legs out from underneath them. How easy to say what should be done when you are not in their shoes and do not know the full “play.”

 

1. Know that sometimes the best comfort you can give a friend is quiet comfort- a hug, a smile, a card, a gift, a visit, a day out of the house.

Job was venting, and his friends could not allow him to have a bad day.

Job’s friend, “Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;” (Job 11:2, 5)

Job’s response, “Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.” (Job 13:5)

Do not be so hard on yourself and others when you or they are faced with a “bad day.” Give others permission to have a “bad day.” Be someone who knows how to listen.

 

 

2. Job automatically assumed that the trial he was facing was due to the sins of his past.

Yes, I understand that we reap what we sow, but sometimes the trials that we face have nothing to do with the sins of our past.

“For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.” (Job 13:26)

God was very clear that Job was “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1)

Do not let your sins haunt you. If you have asked God to forgive you, He puts our sins as far as the East is from the West and forgets them. We should move on from past failures; we are new creatures in Christ.

 

3. Pour out your complaint to God.

When David faced his darkest valleys he said, “I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my trouble.” (Psalms 142:2)

We should talk to God as we would our dearest friend and tell him everything going on in our lives. When we pour out our complaint, we must not bring him our complaint with a lack of belief. God will hear your prayers. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11)

 

4. Let your expectations come from God. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” (Psalms 62:5)

We must not expect our friends to understand how we feel all the time when how we feel constantly changes. So many times our relationships fail because we put unreasonable expectations on people or expect them to react in a way that meets our personality’s expectations. I have observed relationships and have seen one side accuse another for not “being there” in their darkest hour. Consequently, when the accuser has their darkest hour many times they are not “there” for the accused other in the relationship. I know this is a sad, vicious cycle. We need to ask God for wisdom in how to be there for one another and share their burdens. On the other hand, only the Lord knows how we feel every moment and can bring comfort to our hearts.

 

5. Learn to trust and wait on God.

When the disciples were in the boat in the storm all they could see were the clouds and the waves. Jesus wanted them to look to Him.

 

 

I love the book of Job because in the middle of his complaint and not being able to see God he says, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” (Job 13:15-16) Job again talks about how vexed his soul is and how his friends have turned against him (Job 19), yet, his response is, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” (Job 19:25) Oh, I wish I could say that I have Job’s faith in my trials. I fail in my attitude and in my trust towards God many times, I dare say. Although, I hope that we can encourage one another to stay trusting in God when we cannot see the outcome.

 

6. Know that even when you lose your focus in the trial, God sees the bigger picture.

God wants to allow even the bad in our lives to make us stronger and better for His purpose and our desire that we have in life. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

 

Let me challenge you to not lose focus in the trials. But if you do, remember that God has not lost focus. “But 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. (Jeremiah 29:11) God desires to bless you and use even the bad that happens to you for your good.

 

One thing that I have noticed about my past failures and trials is the way that God has brought me through them to make me stronger, not only for myself, but for others as well. I have been able to share some personal stories with ones whom I am very close to, and would have never known that they faced similar trials or are facing them now. Knowing one day, that maybe one of my children will have to face a similar trial as I have had to face helps me to stay focused in the dark times that come in my life and in all of our lives. “Now thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” (II Corinthians 2:14-15) Not only can your trials bring you closer to others and encourage them, but the ones who may not know Christ can see the way you respond in hope and can yearn for the same knowledge of Christ.

 

I hope this thought will help you stay focused in your trials. You can make it. Feel free to connect with Dan or me through email or by messaging us through either one of our social media accounts attached to our website.  We would love to hear how God is working in your life, and what He is doing through you.

 

We hope this helps,

Dan + Jackie Carr