"And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."
Have you suffered losses that have changed your life? You may not be clear if this is a suffering God chose to change you or if it was an attack from the enemy.
As we look at Job, both were true in his case. God allowed Satan to buffet him and bring sorrow and loss to him. But, He also allowed Job to change and then blessed him more than ever.
What is significant to me in the above verse is that it was only after Job prayed for the friends who had not supported him in his time of loss that God actually restored him and blessed him with more than he had ever had before.
Is there someone who has hurt you? Someone who's meanness or selfishness baffles you and you can't imagine anyone treating others that way? It makes you sad and very angry. You cry out to God, but deep down you want them to hurt. You want them to feel what you feel. That is our human flesh.
But, God's ways are not our ways and we must follow His example if we are to find His results. You can choose to give up the anger and hurt and give it to God.
Whoever has harmed or done you wrong, don't let them have the power to choose what happens FOR YOU! You choose! Take God's example and forgive them, praying a blessing upon them (according to I Peter 3) and allowing God to change your heart.
When we pray, we don't have to FEEL it. We just need to be obedient. It's God's responsibility to act on that prayer. I know this to be true in my own life as I watched the power of praying a blessing on someone that had hurt me change both our lives for good.
Start today by making the choice to forgive and pray for those that have despitefully used you. It won't feel great at first, but as you put it into action, you will see a change.......in you and hopefully in them. But, whether they change or not, YOU will have changed and God will have had a chance to BLESS YOU as you follow in His steps.
Job's friends were terrible to him when he needed them. God was not pleased and he told them to take gifts to Job and have him pray for them or HE would discipline them. God is looking out for you. You may not feel that or see it yet, but His Word says its true. Trust him. Obey His Word and believe that He will bring the change that is needed and He will bring that blessing as you choose to give up the power offense has over you.
Treasuring You,
Karen