Out of the storm

I have often wondered if Job's story serves solely as an example for us that things could always be worse.  A very bad day in my world pales in comparison to Satan's testing of Job's commitment to and love for God.  I submit that a typical American's top 3 priorities look something like this:  1) Family 2) Career/Wealth 3) Health.  Within minutes, Job found himself without any of those things.  Now what?  What does life begin to look like after complete and utter ruin?  Although Job's story is a good example for us that things could always be worse, there is much more depth within this example.  How did Job face the greatest devastation and trial of his life?  When devastation ceaselessly stalked Job in pursuit to destroy, he a made a choice.  He chose not to sin.  He chose to accept not only the good from God but also trouble.  Merriam-Webster's definition of accept is to receive willingly, as to accept a gift.  Devastation = a gift?

At his darkest hour he refused to curse his Maker.  He refused to lose sight of God's everlasting love.  Job refused to see God as anything but the lover of his soul.  There have been times when darkness felt like a blanket covering my vapor of a life.  Loneliness, darkness, emptiness, brokenness overwhelmed me.  Lack of purpose and meaning haunted my every step.  I made a choice too.  I decided to be the Anti-Job.

Let's dig deeper still.  In the midst of my personal storm, I discovered the abyss of God's perfect love.  Many, many years earlier, Job found himself drowning in this abyss.  Job 38:1 says, "Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm."  You see, the Lord was inside the storm with Job.  He was there with Job, experiencing the storm alongside Job.  God's love never changes even in the midst of our storms.  His faithfulness never fails.  His is with us always even (or should I say especially) within our storms?