A Taste of Job's Life

Sometimes I feel like our family can't get a break from hard times.

Yesterday, in the middle of a literal storm and in the middle of a storm here at home, I got a call from DearHubby. Our little blue Ford Escort died on his way home and he was stuck on the side of the road in the city. DearHubby called me to pick him up.

Instant stress and anxiety poured all over me...What are we going to do to get the car home? We couldn't just leave it on the road in the city...Someone might steal it or we could get a ticket or it could be parted, etc...DearHubby called all the people he knew who was going his way and they were already home. He didn't want to burden them by asking them to come out into the storm...So, the burden was put on me to find a way to pick him and the car up.

Once again, thanks to dependable friends, DearHubby was able to find a friend with a tow bar and I was able to find a friend with a truck and a hitch. Our friend with the truck was willing to drive the girls and I into the city to find DearHubby and pick him and the car up.

Four hours after the initial phone call, we were home.

Throughout this whole ordeal, I began to hate my life. Evil thoughts ran through my head, even thoughts about leaving my family. Why can't we ever get a break? Life is so hard!

As I got to my friend's house, I told her that Job must have really had GREAT faith in God because I sure was failing in trusting God now...On the way over to her house I wondered what else God was going to bring upon us...How much more was he going to test our faith?

As I transferred the girls seats into the truck and prepared our trip into the city, the thought of Job's faith still remained in my mind and as we started driving towards the city, some of my thoughts spilled into my conversation with my friend's husband, who was driving us.

"Job sure must have had GREAT faith in God to have gone through all he did and not cursed Him because I sure am failing right now in faith."

"You know, it just seems like times are harder now for people and it's hard to just get a break. Yeah, to get through these hard times, you really do need a lot of faith," said my friend. "So how's your house coming along?"

"Very slowly...DearHubby's been sick. I don't know if you knew this, but he was in the hospital recently for a week."

"Wow, it just seems like hard times fall on you guys one right after another, but your husband doesn't ever seem to get depressed," said my friend.

"No, he doesn't. He's very even keeled." After a long pause, "I would have to say, he's got even greater faith in God than I do."

As we talked, I received another phone call from DearHubby. This time, he called to tell me that a lady stalled her car behind him and he went out to help her and locked himself out of the car.

When we got to where DearHubby was stuck, he was standing on the side of the road, under a broken umbrella, without a coat on, while it was pouring cats and dogs. As he saw us, he waved us down. I didn't recognize the umbrella and so I told my friend that someone must have felt sorry for DearHubby and gave him the umbrella. As we parked the truck, the car that was stalled out behind hubby got running and as the lady pulled out to leave, she just kept waving to DearHubby with great thanksgiving for all his help. My friend got a good chuckle.

The one part of the conversation with my friend that I didn't record above was our conversation on how even though I lack faith God still remained so faithful to us by the many blessings he has brought our way. As I thought about how hard life has been for us, I started recounting to my friend just how God still took care of us during those hard times. As I recounted those many faithful times, my heart just became softened again to the greatness of our God (just like when God reminded Job of how great He is in His Word and Wisdom).

What a testimony God made for Himself! My friend's husband has gone through some hard times himself and has struggled with completely having faith in Jesus. It was awesome being able to recount to this friend God's many blessings upon us during our hards times and then to pull up to DearHubby who was still smiling while he stood in the middle of a storm. I thank God for the opportunity to have this friend see us, especially DearHubby, in a difficult situation, because God's faithfulness towards us really shone through (and not by our might at all). Praise God for bringing glory to Himself despite who we are!

"I know you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2, NIV)