how do we respond to brokenness?

how do we praise God in the midst of our sorrrow?

how do we hold onto joy when everything in our lives is crashing down?

how does God let His children suffer?

difficult questions. but we have to know that our Father in heaven holds the answers in His hands. and He even gave us a guide to help wrestle with those difficult questions. the Bible.

most of us know the story of Job.

in the book of Job (old testament) there is a narrative about a man named Job. now this man was as close to God as anyone ever could .  he was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." (Job 1:1)

in Job 1:6 the Devil goes to the heaven. God asks Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?" basically he says,"look at Job he is a man whom I love and he loves Me with everything he is." Satan says, "take everything You have given him, then we'll see if he loves you."

so God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job except his health. so Satan destroyed his children, his possessions, and his lands. but still Job praised God's name.

(Job 2:3-6)

Satan went back to the heavens and God said, "Satan, have you considered my servant Job? he still holds his integrity." Satan then says, "take his health then he will curse Your name."

God then allowed Satan to take Job's health, but made Satan spare Job's life.

Job still blessed the Lord. even when his wife and closest friends told him to curse God's name. Job said, "blessed be the name of the Lord."

now i have to say, that Job was a man of extreme faith and devotion. a man seeking God's heart. even in the midst of extreme darkness, even in the midst of the destruction of everything he had. he said, "blessed be the name of the Lord."

he kept his vision on the Lord.

in His light, we will not stumble or fall. no matter what obstacles come in our way. no matter what we are going through. God is strong enough to bring us through the pits in our life.

take up our cross and follow Him. keep our eyes on the prize.

remember this: 1 Peter 2:21

21"to this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps." (TNIV)