Crumbs

Job 42:1-6 MSG

Job answered God: “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”

After reading through the book of Job, I learned an important lesson – Job was still willing to humble himself, and admitted that he didn’t know as much as he thought he did.

Many of us after experiencing difficult seasons tend to become frustrated with our circumstances, and perhaps even with God. As we read through the story of Job, we see that he had very real emotions and opinions during his tragedy. Job openly mourned and grieved the loss of basically everything; his children, servants, livestock, health, and reputation.

We as Christians aren’t expected to never feel anything that may be considered negative, we are however supposed to bring it all to God, every messy and confused emotion, and lay it at His feet. When I sense that my children are struggling with something, I do not simply accept their answer of “fine” when asked how they are doing. I press for the truth so we can work on the solution together. God does not need us to “toughen up” and give the response of “fine” when He already knows how we are really feeling.

In the end, Job declared that he lived by rumors of God, hearsay, and crumbs. What an incredible heritage he must have had to instill such confidence in his God. But, Job finally understood that there was so much more for him to discover about God. No longer was he satisfied living for God based solely on what others had told him, he needed and desired more and to know God for himself.

His loss led him to a deeper, more powerful understanding of the God he faithfully served.

Today, God can turn your situation around and in the process, draw you closer to Him. If we need anything in this world right now, it is to be closer to Him.