“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2, ESV)
The weather conditions have been challenging the last couple of weeks, as we have been preparing for our team’s first tournament of the spring, which is in a few days. Cooler temperatures, precipitation, and wind have all been major factors each time we have teed it up for 18 holes. On these days, the only people on the course in Chapel Hill have been the North Carolina women’s golf team and maybe one diehard golfer who plays for a love of the game beyond what I understand.
Common sense tells you not to go outside, let alone play a round of golf, when the weather isn’t very nice. I can almost guarantee not one of our girls felt like playing, but they prepared themselves mentally and physically to play. They saw the projected weather forecast and we made sure to remind them to dress appropriately and expect that if a tournament would still be played, then we would have them play, too. We want our team to handle adversity as best as possible, and that includes weather conditions.
Life in a fallen world means we will face adversity in much deeper and more challenging ways than weather on the golf course. Sickness, death, job loss, tension with co-workers, financial struggles, failed relationships, persecution, the daily struggle with sin, and on and on I could go, as there is much to confront each day. We don’t feel like facing hard situations; in fact, we will do about all we can to not face hardship. We look to escape by running to relationships, work, internet, social media, food, drinking, etc., before turning to God.
Another escape that I find myself all too easily falling into is busyness. I pack my days as full as possible so as not to be alone and wrestle with God. I find it can be the most challenging time and also the sweetest time when it is me and God, in silence. His Spirit convicts as does his Word, and I am confronted with my own sinfulness. My recent lament comes from Psalm 130:3-4: “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” Adversity has revealed I am more of a sinner than I realized. Yet there is hope because of Christ’s atonement for my sins. The Father now sees me clothed in Christ’s righteousness.
Where do we run or more accurately, where (and to whom) do we limp each day? God’s Word gives us the forecast that difficulties are inevitable, pain and suffering is assured.
I heard a pastor say recently, “God does not always give us the answer why, but he will always give us his presence…. We tend to ask each chapter of our life be good, when God promises the last chapter will be.” Job tells us that no purpose of God’s can be thwarted. God did not answer why Job endured all that he did, but God never left him. Adversity will come, but take heart and comfort knowing and trusting that God’s plans cannot be thwarted.
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Aimee Neff
February 15, 2018
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.