All Part of the Plan

Based on Job 11-13, Acts 9:1-21

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: For an hypocrite shall not come before him."

Job 13:15‭-‬16

We are quick to automatically think that negative things are not of God. Things that seem unpleasant must certainly be something we were never meant to go through, right? Well, how would we grow if we weren't pushing through some dirt? God definitely had a plan for Job. Something great was coming. He would be restored. But first he had to trust God through the challenge! It's all part of His Master plan! Though He slay us, yet shall we trust in Him! He is the only One Who will do it in a way which helps us grow...remember, the devil has to ask God permission, and Job was wise enough to know that ultimately, it's God in control, not the devil!

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

Acts 9:3‭-‬5

Paul had to be knocked down to the ground too! He had to be brought low & humbled before God could use him in the mighty ways He wanted to. Paul automatically asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" So he called him Lord right away! After all the persecuting he had done, Paul was quick to say "Lord." And after all Job had gone through, he too was quick to keep trusting in God! We sometimes need to be planted deeper in dirt to get stronger roots in God in order to grow taller and do greater things for His Kingdom!

"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Acts 9:6

Paul certainly did do greater things for God's Kingdom, from the very first question of, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And we will see that Job develops a great testimony through all of his trials as well! Are we looking for God in our struggles? Are we looking for what we can learn? Or are we just waiting to grow without getting dirty?