Bible Reading: Job 7-9; Acts 7:44-60
“Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”- Job 8:20-21 (KJV)
Job had been complaining that he felt like God was rejecting him. One of his friends, Bildad, points out that God does not reject anyone who is living a righteous life. If someone is living the righteous life, God will fill his life with joy and laughter.
It is common for people to think that when a believer is going through an extremely difficult time, that they must have sinned against God. When we look at the life of Job, this was not the case. The scriptures reported him as not having sinned against God. “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” – Job 1:22. He was living the upright life before God. Yet, he went through horrible and trying times.
In life there are times of difficulty, trials and sorrow, because sin rules in the lives of men. But if we can focus and put our trust in God, enduring the trials and tribulations and doing His will by following the gospel of Christ, we will triumph at the end and God will fill us with joy and laughter in this world and also eternity. “And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”– Mark 10:29-30
Is there any area of your life you are going through a difficult time, you must keep your eyes on Jesus and on the end of the race you are running. Today you may have troubles, but joy will come in the morning. Life is just like a vapor. You are here today and gone tomorrow. The great thing is that tomorrow you step into eternity with God. At that point, your mouth will be filled with laughter against Satan who tried to destroy you and failed. Your mouth will be filled with shouts of joy because you had finished the race and won the battle.
Do not believe the lies that God is rejecting you the way Job thought during his travails. Keep your trust in Jesus, regardless of what you are going through. Jesus will never reject you nor leave you. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” – Hebrews 13:5
Prayer: Father, by your Holy Spirit filled me with joy and laughter.
Pastor Alfred Samuel