There are times it seems the bottom has fallen out of our life, even when we know wholeheartedly we love God and are always putting Him first and keeping Him in the center of our life. We are left with the emotions that overtake us and then we wonder where is God and why did He let this happen? The chastening of God is always done out of the love He has for us, and just as our earthly father disciplined us growing up, so does our heavenly Father chasten and discipline us the same! (Hebrews 12:9-11) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

When Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you, He did not say unless you have a car accident or suffer the loss of a loved one NO! He is there no mater what the situation and will never leave or forsake us. So why do some blame God or think He is far away when tragedy strikes? It is a matter of faith plain and simple. We have all seen those who have such a strong faith they will face tragedy calmly and put their faith immediately in God, and then wait on Him, while others may come unglued and it makes you wonder why aren’t they trusting God? It is written faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God never has or ever will swoop down and immediately relieve our stress, but will however through our faith strengthen us as we rely completely on Him, and it is then He moves on our behalf.

We do not know how strong our faith is until a trial tests it. When Job lost his entire family and animal’s did he say where is God or why did He let this happen to me? Or when God allowed satan to smite him with boils did he say what are you doing God? He did not, But he did Bless the Lord! (Job 1:20-22) Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Jobs wife on the other hand thought as one who had little faith and even told Job he should just curse God and die, in which Job had to tell his wife she was speaking foolishly (Job 2:7-10) So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

So the next time an accident, loss of a loved one or tragedy strikes your life, where will God be in the midst of your situation?????????

We can live a Blessed life or a cursed life, and we really do have that choice. Deuteronomy Chapter 28 teaches us that our choices and obedience to God makes all the difference.