But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. —Job 2:10 NLT
How prepared are you for a power outage at your house? I’d love to be able to say that we have flashlights in every room, batteries checked monthly, and all at the ready should our power go out. However … that would not be true. Truth is, when the power goes out, especially if it’s a dark night, quite a bit of fumbling goes on around the Gamble household as we try to remember where the flashlights are—and hope their batteries are working! But one thing we know, no matter how dark it is, we are in our own house, and if we fumble about, we will find the aid we need. The house hasn’t changed even if we can’t see it. The flashlights haven’t moved even if we can’t remember where we last stored them. We believe these truths—even in the dark.
When our spiritual life goes dark, it can feel very scary. Job and his wife endured four tremendous losses in one day. A raid took out their oxen, donkeys, and the farmhands who tended their land. Fire from heaven burned up their sheep and shepherd servants. Their camels and those who tended them died in a third raid. And then, all ten of their children perished when a windstorm hit the house where they were gathered together for a friendly sibling dinner. Things did not improve. The next day, or shortly thereafter, Job came down with ugly, tormenting boils all over his body. Job’s wife had had it. She recommended to Job, “curse God and die.” I think we can all relate. The foundations of her whole life had been shaken. Her stable, comfortable life was completely shattered in practically the blink of an eye.
Job might have been tottering, but his faith remained solid. His foundation was upon God Himself. Not the wealthy life he lived. Not the family of fine children he had raised. Job believed God even when it appeared He had vanished. In Job’s mind, the same loving, generous God, who had provided so much for him and his family, was still there and still God. “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” Regardless of circumstance, Job knew the One who never changes. Even in the dark.
I came across a verse in my quiet time reading yesterday that puzzled me for a moment. Jesus was traveling in the Galilee area when a nobleman came and asked Jesus to heal his dying son. It was Jesus’ response that perplexed me. “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” (John 4:48b NLT). Why in the world, I thought, did Jesus respond that way? Then, I noticed what had happened. Jesus had, indeed, declared that this man’s dying son had been healed, and He sent the man on his way. Sure enough, as the man was making his way home, his servants came out to meet him and told him his son had suddenly recovered. “He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, ‘Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!’ Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, ‘Your son will live.’ And he and his entire household believed in Jesus” (John 4:52-53 NLT). Do you see when the man believed? After the miracle.
This brings me to the question of questions. Do I believe because my life is pretty comfortable and many prayers I’ve prayed have been answered “yes” by my generous Abba-Father? Or do I believe because God is real and true and always there regardless of whether He gives me the good things I ask for or not? If I only believe because of what I get, my faith is not in God, but in a sort of “magic genie” I’ve invented in my head, who must do as I wish. Job knew better than that. Job knew that God was God. He created the world, and He is still in charge of that world. God sees the big picture. It’s never dark with Him. We can trust Him when things go our way. We can trust Him if some day everything we have is taken from us and we are left in a diseased body scraping the boils from our skin. I want Job’s kind of faith that lasts despite circumstances. Let’s trust God even when it’s dark.
Father, thank You for my quiet time lessons. You brought me to a hard place and asked me whether I would believe You in the dark. I will do my best to trust if the darkness comes, dear Lord. Strengthen me by Your Spirit and keep me near. Lord, I trust You. No matter what. In Jesus’ Good Name, Amen.
P.S. Lord: Thank You for Your generous giving to me! I know Your plans for me are good, and I’m very grateful for all the comforts I’ve been given. Just help me, Lord, to love You … no matter what.
You are loved,
Sharon
Sweet Selah Ministries
Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service
Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)
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