Know Them By the Spirit

Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!

I've been focused on Job this past week and am continuing to linger there. God is shining His awesome light of illumination and revelation on so many things within that awesome book for me -- too numerous to address in a brief blog. However there is one area that comes to mind as I write to you.

I again observed the emphatic, specific, seemingly spiritual and seemingly enlightened way that Job's friends falsely charged him with being responsible for his suffering. They stated that Job's own sin, own self-righteousness and his lack of love and empathy caused the suffering in his life. We know, of course, that this was not at all true. In fact, Job was a godly man who resisted evil. Regardless, if we did not have the background story on Job that was provided in the scriptures it would have been quite easy to believe the accusations waged against him. Some of them did seem to make sense. They were simply untrue.

This made me think about the ease with which we can make accusation against others when we simply look at upon their situations without benefit of God's background story. How easy is it also for others to make false accusations and assessments of us. Suffering, tragedy, frequent transition, loss, temporary lack, illness and the like are not an automatic sign of sin, a lack of faith or judgment existing in the life of a believer.

Some even today are quick to assume that an issue in one's life indicates sin. Jesus' disciples thought the same way. In St. John 9:1-3 it says, "as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him saying Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him!"

Let us not be so quick to judge the issues in the life of a fellow believer. I Corinthians 4:5 admonishes us to judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes . . . " The Lord comes in due season to illuminate the hidden things and to show forth His works! He likes to show forth healing so a believer might have to experience illness so He can show His power to heal. Lack so He can show His power to provide. Loss and grief so He can show comfort. We do not own ourselves -- we are purchased with a price and our lives are canvases for God to paint pictures of His works. We then become His Works of Art -- His masterpieces!

At the end of Job's trial he received double for his trouble because his trial was not a punishment for sin; but rather a situation ordained and allowed by God. A saint suffering for the cause of Christ is a saint partaking in the life of Christ -- knowing Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. If we hope ever to reign with Him we must know that we must suffer with Him. It is a part of this life in Christ. In fact we are told that our tribulations or afflictions will be numerous -- but have the blessed promise that He will deliver us from the all!

Blessed people of God, please do not fall into the trap of judging your brothers or sisters as it relates to the issues of their lives. Even if you know for certain that someone has fallen short -- your job is not to judge but to restore, exhort, strengthen, encouraged, rebuke in love -- not gossip or rail accusations. Determine to abide in the words sung by Hezekiah Walker - I won't harm you with words from my mouth. I love you - I need you to survive.

Have a wonderful week in Him!

In Service for the Master,
Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell