Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26 Life has so many opportunities to let us down. Finances, health, relationships, property; anything of value can be easily taken away. Most of our lives are spent developing strategies to protect these investments. But Job found this to be impossible.
You may remember Job’s story from the Bible. He was a good man that was obedient to God and looked out for other people. Yet, in a divine scheme he found himself homeless, penniless, ill, and grieving the death of his family. How could this happen? That’s what Job wanted to know.
When floodwaters come during the storms of life, how do you respond? Do you give up? Like a leaf being carried down the raging rapids that goes wherever the water takes it. Life can be challenging and we can easily feel defeated. It is hard to fight time and time again. Or, do you blame others like the rock that refuses to be moved? The storms of life leave the rock scarred and jagged as wreckage slams into it. Over time, the mighty rock becomes smaller and smaller until even a small current can wash the pebble away.
Hopefully, you are like the mighty oak. Your roots run deep! Although previous storms have challenged the oak and caused it to sway back and forth it remains alive. The floodwaters help it to grow. The roots have grown deep. Others find safety from the storm under its branches. The mighty oak knows this too shall pass!
In life, those who desire to follow Christ must become comfortable with the uncomfortable. According to the economy of this world what happened to Job was simply unfair. We are quick to judge, not only our circumstances but also God’s treatment of us according to this world’s economy. However, God is relating to us on a far grander scale than we can even fathom. By allowing him to be your strength and portion, you may find less opportunity for life to let you down.