Hey you!

Have you ever prayed to God, but it seemed as if he didn't hear you cry out to him? This is very normal whether you know it or not. It could be that your faith is being tested. I love to pray, but I don't like to when I feel as if he isn't talking back to me. What do you do when this occurs in your life? Type your answers in the comments below.

There were times in the Bible where Job cried out to God, and he had these same exact feelings that his God wasn't responding. However, that did not stop him from crying out. He was relentless, and he did not let up. Read chapters 30 and 31 of Job when you have time. I would like to point out that in Job 30:20-21 NIV, it says “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand, you attack me.’ Job was in anguish and felt like God had left him, however, he never stopped calling on God. Could it be that he was fueled to continue to pray and seek God because he knew eventually God would move on his behalf? Job had to rely on the God who was with him when things were good for him. While Job was losing everything, his wife told him to curse God and die. Can you imagine going through a very challenging time and those closest to you are telling you to commit spiritual and physical suicide?

Job’s story is so encouraging to me because he trekked through darkness still believing that God would soon bring him to the light. He knew that God was with him. Job 42:10-13- 10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. This is proof that God was with Job the entire time and He is with you, too.

If Job had listened to his friends or his wife, I don’t believe his story would have ended the way it did. The fact that his story begins by stating that he was a blameless and upright man gives us a glimpse into his character traits. Please note that it didn’t say he was an upright man when things are good. After all he went through, it could still be stated truthfully that he was a blameless and upright man. Who he was did not change just because the enemy came for him. As a vessel of God’s, you must be like Job. His external surroundings were in shambles, but he did not allow that to take root internally. It’s important to note that who you are at your core comes out when you go through things.

Here are 3 Tips I was able to pull from Job’s story:

Tip #1 Stay in God’s face even when you can’t feel him

Tip #2 Don’t listen or tolerate any negative talk no matter who it comes from.

Tip#3 Don’t let a circumstance change your character.