The Woes of Me!

Feeling down? As the weight of the world is on your shoulders. It seems like no one can help. You try to pray, but it feels like GOD isn’t hearing you, and more importantly answering your prayers. Do you feel like this? Is this you?

Well, I have a word from GOD for you.

Are you ready???

There was once a man who loved GOD and always tried to do the right thing. The man prayed daily and gave offerings for not only himself but also his ten children. He did this because he said, “That it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed GOD in their hearts.” (Job 1:5 KJV). The man did this constantly.

The man was very wealthy, he owned a large farm with lots of animals and workers. One day one of the men who work for him ran to him frantically. He said that he and other workers were in the field with the oxen, and a group of thugs came and killed all the workers in the field. The worker said he barely escaped with his life. “They killed them all, and then they took all the oxen,” said the frightened worker.

Before the worker could finish telling his boss the rest of the story, another worker hastily ran up to his boss. The man said he and other workers were in the field and fire rapidly appeared. The fire was so fast and furious that it consumed many of the sheep. As the workers tried to save the rest of the sheep, the fire overtook them as well.  The man, trying to catch his breath said that all the workers and all the sheep had perished in the fire. He was the lone survivor.

Then another worker came with bad news. He was working on another part of the land, and a gang of murdering thieves killed the workers that were caring for the camels, and they took the camels. He was the only one who survived.

Finally, as the worker was finishing the bad news, another worker hesitantly approached his boss with tears streaming down his face and was greatly distraught. He bared the worst news of all. While the employers’ 10 children were partying in the oldest son’s house, a powerful wind blew down the house killing all 10 of his children.

All the man’s wealth is gone. Every one of his children who he nurtured, taught, raised, and loved, gone. At the same time, and on the same day.

You think the weight of the world is on your shoulders? You think you feel down?

So, what did the man do?

The man (Job), fell on the ground and worshiped GOD.

Job’s trials didn’t end there. Next, Job’s body became full of boils. He was covered from head to toe, and on top of that, the very people closest to him continually told him that his problems were because he sinned against GOD.

Let’s now discuss another man that as a teenager he was anointed by a prophet of GOD. From a young age, the young man fought for his nation and became a great warrior. The man honored GOD and honored his King. However, after a triumphant battle, by no fault of his own, the King became very jealous of the young man. In so much that the young man had to flee from the King. It wasn’t enough that the young man fled from the King, the King took thousands of soldiers to try to hunt down and kill the young man.

Being all alone, the man hid in a cave. People heard that he was hiding in the cave, and GOD sent him help. Who did GOD send? HE sent 400 distressed, in debt, and discontent men.

What a group!

The man, through no fault of his own, was on the run from the King and thousands of his soldiers. Flaws and all, the man took the group of men in and became their leader.

The 400 men soon became 600 and the appointed leader lead them well. The men had battles with other groups, while still being pursued by the King.

Then, there came a time when the group of men left their families to make an alliance with the enemies of the King. When they were gone, a group came, took their families and all their possessions. When the men returned and found their families and possessions gone, they all cried bitterly. To add insult to injury, the men who the leader took in when no one else wanted them, wanted to stone their leader.

The leader, who lost his family, and was also distraught, was threatened of being stoned by the very people close to him.

So, what did he do?

The leader (David) encouraged himself.

There was another man, the son of a Great and Mighty King. The Great King sent his son to a far-away land, where the people of that land didn’t know him. The sons’ assignment was to be a servant to the people of that land and not to reveal his true identity.

So, the son did as his father asked. The King’s son served and helped many people in the land. Many were very appreciative of his help; however, others were not. Many of the people who didn’t like him, held leadership positions throughout the land. However, what the people of the land did not know was that the leadership was also sent by the Great King to serve, but instead of serving, they harshly ruled over them.

The leaders, not knowing the true identity of the Great King’s son, plotted and schemed against him, and also persuaded others to turn against the humble servant. The son was very wise, he had to be, he was taught by his father. Knowing the plans of the leaders, he decided to allow them to carry out their plans.

 The King’s son’s love for the people of that land was so much greater than his own desires.

So, he allowed the leaders to catch and beat him. They paid off witnesses to testify against him. Eventually, he was found guilty, and they executed him.

As you may have guessed, the Great King’s son is Jesus. He taught and served the people selflessly, only doing what his father wanted. The hatred, the false accusations, the beatings, and the crucifixion was terrible, but the worst thing that happened to Jesus was when GOD, his father, had to cut off communion with Jesus as the sins of the people were placed on him.

You may think your problems are bad, and I’m not saying they aren’t. But think of Jesus taking on the problems of everyone who had ever lived on earth.

Incidentally, that means he took the problems that you’re going through as well.

So, what happened to Job? Job eventually prayed for those friends of his who falsely accused him of sinning. GOD blessed him with 10 more children and doubled almost all the possessions that he had before.

After David and his men’s families were taken, he and his men found the people who did it and they recovered not only all their family members but also all their possessions. Around the same time, King Saul, who was pursuing David, was killed and David was appointed King of Judah, and later Israel.

Finally, Jesus died and spent three days in the Earth. When he arose, he arose King of Kings and Lord of lords. He is back with GOD his father at HIS right hand.

The situations that we go through on Earth are temporary. Sometimes, circumstances get so bad that it seems like we will be going through them forever, but remember, there is always someone else whose problems are worse than ours.

So, when you feel like everything that can go wrong will, do what Job did, worship the Lord.

When you feel like those who are closest to you, turn against you, do what David did, encourage yourself.

And when you feel like GOD has forsaken you, do what Jesus did, complete the mission GOD set before you.

Overcome!

JB Andrews

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