Crisis and Character

Some people abandon God when hardship, even tragedy, comes into their lives. Yet others show genuine faith.

Think of Job, whose very name is a point of reference for the worst suffering imaginable. Job was living a great life. He had a beautiful family and was very wealthy and successful. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, a series of calamities struck.

From the Old Testament book of Job, we know that a conversation took place between God and the angels, which included Lucifer (Satan), a fallen angel. God was bragging on Job, saying, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” (Job 1:8 NLT).

Satan basically said, “Oh give me a break. You let me have a little time with Job, and we will see what he’s really made of.”

Then God allowed Satan to bring a series of difficulties into Job’s life. And in one day, Job lost all his children and all his possessions.

Yet here’s what Job said: “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21 NLT).

The passage goes on to say, “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (verse 22 NLT). That is genuine faith.

You find out how strong your faith really is by how you react to adversity and difficulty. Someone has said that character is not made in a crisis; it’s revealed.

So put your faith in Christ. Don’t put your faith in a person. Don’t put your faith in a church. Put your faith in Jesus Himself. He is the one who will sustain you in your times of difficulty.