“Though
He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before
Him.” (v.15)
I came upon this story by Woodrow Kroll on trust, and felt it
was a perfect fit for our text.
Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship
that was caught in a raging storm at sea. Seeing his wife’s fear, the man tried
to comfort her. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be
so calm?" He stepped back and drew his sword. Pointing it at her, he
asked, "Are you afraid of this?" "Of course not!" she
answered. "Why not?" he inquired. "Because I know you love me
too much to hurt me," she said. He replied, "I also know the One who
holds the winds and the waters in the hollow of His hand, and He loves us too
much to fail to care for us!"
Job had that same trust. He had lost his children, his wealth
and his health. Even his wife had turned against him. He had only one more
thing to lose—his own life. Yet Job declared that even if it were to come down
to that final loss, he would continue to trust that God had a purpose in everything
that happened to him. In Job’s eyes, the important issue was not what was
happening but whose hand was behind it. If God did it, Job knew he could trust
it.
Often our trust is based on the "what" rather than the
"who." We focus on the event rather than the One who controls that
event. Consequently, when trials and tribulations come crashing down upon us,
our faith is shaken. We can’t understand why a loving Heavenly Father would
allow such grief to enter our lives. Yet if we truly believe that He is loving,
we can say with Job that even though He slay us, we will believe He intends it
for our good. In His infinite wisdom and goodness, He will take the most
difficult circumstances and use them for our good.
When you are facing life’s most severe trials, focus on the
character of God. Build your trust on who God is, not on what is taking place.
When you know who He is, you never have to worry about what He will allow to
happen. Trust is based on character, not circumstances.
The Truth
“Those
who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, which
cannot be moved, but abides
forever.” (Psalm 125:1)