Endure & Declare

Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

The Bible says, “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” (Psalm 34:19) On this human journey, for those who have chosen the path of righteousness, there will be many afflictions. As we travel down this road of life striving to be righteous in God’s sight many things will happen that are not right. We will encounter roadblocks that tempt us to veer off the path of destiny or cause us to stumble (Romans 14:13). We will meet people who will attempt to persuade, seduce, or discourage us with the goal of seeing us abandon the destiny for our lives (Luke 4:1-13). As we travel this road to the predestined purpose for the life that God has so graciously blessed us to live we will experience bad weather—the rain will descend, the floods will come, the winds will blow and beat us up—but those who seek the righteousness of God will recover (Matthew 7:25).

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse. – Proverbs 24:16

When I consider the idea of people on the path of righteousness who have faced much affliction, I can’t help but to think of Job. God referred to Job as His servant and said of him to Satan, “There is none like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8) Job’s afflictions were broad, deep, various, and long lasting. God knew the heart of Job to be righteous and God fearing. He knew that no matter what Job was faced with, He would not forsake Him and that Job would remain on the path of righteousness. When God suggested that Satan consider tempting Job, He trusted Job to remain steadfast during the afflictions He was permitting. But God put limits on the affliction.

“Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” -Job 1:12a

So, the enemy had initially been permitted by God to touch anything that Job possessed but not to touch him in Job 1:12. When Satan returned to God seeking another to devour, God offered up Job again. Satan reasoned that Job was willing to give all his possessions to spare his life but suggested that he would give in and curse God if his flesh were to be afflicted. God moved the limit and allowed Satan to afflict Job’s flesh but restricted him from taking Job’s life.

“Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” -Job 2:6

Job endured and remained faithful to God declaring his goodness (Job 42). My encouragement today is for us to remember that on the path of righteous living we will surely be afflicted, but God sets limits on our affliction and restores us with multiplication when we endure and remain faithful to Him in our trials.

I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. -Job 42:2
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Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning… -Job 42:12a

So, let us be steadfast in our faith and have an immovable trust in God, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that God has set a limit on the afflictions that we face (1 Corinthians 15:58). God will reward the righteous who overcome their afflictions by faith with restoration and multiplication.

Be Blessed!
Nina
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Declaration: I know that God can do everything and His purpose for my life cannot be withheld from Him.