Spending Time With God

Day three hundred forty-one


This morning I am thankful for the happy attitude that seems to come with the Christmas season.  People say thank you and please, and the even hold the door open for each other!  It is the time of year when we see small acts of kindness from ordinary people and it warms my heart!  I thanked the Lord for the blessings that come when people open their hearts and are more aware of those around them.  It lifts the spirit of everyone who sees it and makes the world a happier place in each little instance.  I love this time of year! 

Job 10

Job was a righteous man, of perfect integrity. He feared God and turned away from evil.
Isn’t that what we are all trying to do? Yet Job suffered greatly at Satan’s discretion.

At this point in the story, Job is ready to throw in the towel.  The first line in the first verse says it all: "My soul is weary of my life...".  Job is both physically and spiritually drained and asks God "Why hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?" (10:18). In other words, why would you even let me be born to face such afflictions?

We tend to think believers shouldn’t get weary or depressed.  We often hide it, and we certainly don’t want to let anyone know about it.  What would our fellow believers think if they knew how we felt?  Would they think we are weak and not in good standing with God ?  Would they think that we lack faith in God and all His promises?

The truth is, life situations and responsibilities can sometimes drain the life right out of us, it’s common to us all.  Many people will experience the tiredness that comes with facing life's problems, Job is not alone in his feelings.

Life is filled at times with moments of great joy as well as great sadness; if you’re human you will get weary at some point in your life. The successes of our past or the miracles we’ve seen don’t help us escape weariness of the soul in the present situations. So what can we do when we face this weariness of our soul?

We must not give up. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…” (Proverbs 24:16).

We need to spend some time with God. He is always present, even when He seems far away: “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.  He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.” (Psalm 145:18-19). Never stop talking to God. When He seems far away, the apparent separation has nothing to do with God; it has everything to do with us.

When you experience hard times, it is wise to spend more time with God. If you do your part, God will do His part. When we spend time with God we will be reminded that:

We must trust God. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…”  (Job 13:15).

We should be honest with ourselves and with God. “…till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.” (Job 27:5). When it is just you and God you don’t have to worry about what others think.  It’s between you and God!

We should read the scriptures. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39). There is something about spending time with God in the scriptures that helps you put things in perspective.  He seems to focus us on the blessings that He has given us and less on what we lack. It’s like having a personal study session with Him!

We should ponder.  “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) The best part about spending time with God is that His love for us is manifested.  We might be talkative in the beginning of our time with God, but eventually the talking lessens and the listening begins.  That’s when the real comfort comes.

Although each person’s time with God might share some of the same elements, each experience is tailored to fit your needs by a God that loves you and knows you better than you know yourself.  Job might have thrown questions at God and been weary, but who could blame him, his trials are extreme.  The key to Job getting through these trials was his relationship with God.  He had taken the time to include God in his life before the trials, and he continues to do so throughout the trials.  He may have been weary, but he still maintained a connection with God.  He understood that God doesn’t stop loving us.  Even when we are in tough times, God sees, He knows, and He still loves us!