Painful Mercy!!!

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10 NKJV)

Other than Jesus of course, I think Job probably suffered more hardship than anyone and it wasn't just for a testing. God does not use our circumstances for just one purpose! It was also to build up in him something that Job needed more of and also to pray for his so called friends!

If its true that whatever God does and allows to come into our life, is for our benefit and is meant to draw us closer to Him, and it is true, then we can be assured and have faith that its what we need even if its painful.

Have you ever had something so painful you cry out with a deep hurt within the pit of your soul?

Growing up from about age 9 untill about 18, I had many times that I felt so tormented with depression that it had a grip on me so tight. I would pray and cry myself to sleep many many nights that God would kill me and I couldn’t figure why He had me go through such hard times.

And then there was a time (for mny years) I went through hardships due to my bad choices and sinful behavior of sexual sin with prostitutes and pornography that left me utterly broken and needy. I have had to deal with the death of my father and a 2 brutal murders of my niece and sister and another sister who was killed because of drugs. And growing up with abuse in my family had an inpact on me as well.

Psalm 23 says “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” When a sheep continues to go off away from his shepard enough times, the shepard eventually has to break the legs of the sheep to keep it from wondering into dangerous territory to get eaten by wolves. The same with us and our shepard Jesus Christ. If you have hardship in your life it may be because He wants to teach you something or to work something in you. For me growing up I feel that it was because God allowed me to experience depression and abuse so I can have compassion later in life for those who stuggle with such hard issues and also it was for more of a reason to get a closer relationship with Jesus. But the times that were hard due to my sin, He was trying to teach me something. If you look hard enough you will see the mercy in both. They fill a need for His prupose and plan for you.

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15 NKJV)

What about the book of Revelation? It's full of God's judgement and trouble upon the earth like never before. So much trouble it says people will cry out like birth pains! But, that pain is meant to bring people to their knees and cry out to God so God can save them. People can be so set in their ways and so hard hearted, they need trouble to humble them. God knows where they are headed if they don't turn to Him!

I can't end this reading without bringing to mind the ultimate suffering of all. It happened in the garden of Gethsemany and lasted all the way to Calvary! With great drops of blood and thorns piercing His head, being beaten to a bloody pulp with no recollection of Him even being a human let alone recognized as being the one they knew so well! Not to mention all the pain that we don't even understand that went on between Him and the Father! The only true Love He had ever known turned to complete and utter anger and hate torwards Him looking at Him staright in the eyes leaving Him utterly alone in a dark cold evil world!

However, isn't that the greatest sign of Mercy??? Praise God for hard times!

-Doug McGowan