This testimony was prepared and written for young people. To read my testimony in order click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.
I still (I am an excessively slow learner) felt a bit like God was holding out on me. I delighted in Him but my life involved work (which is hard), home (which can be hard too) and church (which is great, but can be hard too!). I tried to be thankful all the time. I tried to be grateful even when trouble came. But I STILL felt like I was owed more. I thought that God was unfair. Then I came to understand that GOD IS SOVEREIGN. He can do whatever He wants. He doesn't have to be fair actually—he will be JUST and RIGHT and GOOD but He doesn't have to be fair. He actually didn't even have to save me. He could have sent me to hell. He didn't have to send Jesus. God didn't have to care. BUT HE DID. If He never gave me a husband. If He kept me at the same job forever. If I live with my parents for the rest of my life. HE IS STILL GOOD. He is still all that I need. He is EVERYTHING and nothing else matters. And that is where I am now. Or at least, that is where I am striving to be.
God is sovereign—He has all a power and all authority—He can do WHATEVER He wants. In order for anyone to be a king he must possess, (1) Absolute Authority, and, (2) All Power. A king must have the right to rule, and the ability to carry out his will. God can do WHATEVER He wants. Psalm 135:6 says, “Whatever the Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” God said through Isaiah (46:9-10), ".. for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me .. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. Listen to this, it blows my mind every time I read. I read it over and over just be sure that it really does say it. Job was a man who was blameless before God. God allowed Job to be tested by Satan. So in the first few verses of Job he loses all his family (except his wife). His children are killed. All his cattle are killed. All his servants and his sheep are killed. Do you know what Job does? Let's read it, it's amazing.
“At this [that is, after hearing that he has lost EVERYTHING], Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing”. Job 1:20-22
WOW. Then Satan was given control over Job's body and he broke out in boils all over his body the Bible says the boils were from the soles of feet to the top of his head! At this, “his wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job 2:9,10 Do you know that the entire book of Job seeks to find the reason why God did all this Job? Do you know what God's answer was? You can find the answer in Job 38. God pretty much tells job that he really has no business trying to understand the ways of God. I know it's tough to hear all this but you shouldn't think that God is distant and far off. I love this quote by Loraine Boettner: "Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power. It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness, and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one”.
There's lots more to my story and lots more that God has so graciously and kindly taught me. He is SO good to teach me and not just leave to my own devices. Right now, I live with my parents. I submit to their input in my life. I am not married and there really is no 'potential' out there that I can think of. I may never marry. But God is still good. My work is hard and pretty disgusting at times. My life is not that exciting. But God is still good. I may not have all that desire, but I will be accepting of the fact that I may carry desires and dreams of mine to the grave. God does not have to fulfill all that I want in life. It's not about me, it's all about Him and the purpose of my life is give Him more glory in whatever way He decides is best.
The End.... For Now.
I still (I am an excessively slow learner) felt a bit like God was holding out on me. I delighted in Him but my life involved work (which is hard), home (which can be hard too) and church (which is great, but can be hard too!). I tried to be thankful all the time. I tried to be grateful even when trouble came. But I STILL felt like I was owed more. I thought that God was unfair. Then I came to understand that GOD IS SOVEREIGN. He can do whatever He wants. He doesn't have to be fair actually—he will be JUST and RIGHT and GOOD but He doesn't have to be fair. He actually didn't even have to save me. He could have sent me to hell. He didn't have to send Jesus. God didn't have to care. BUT HE DID. If He never gave me a husband. If He kept me at the same job forever. If I live with my parents for the rest of my life. HE IS STILL GOOD. He is still all that I need. He is EVERYTHING and nothing else matters. And that is where I am now. Or at least, that is where I am striving to be.
God is sovereign—He has all a power and all authority—He can do WHATEVER He wants. In order for anyone to be a king he must possess, (1) Absolute Authority, and, (2) All Power. A king must have the right to rule, and the ability to carry out his will. God can do WHATEVER He wants. Psalm 135:6 says, “Whatever the Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” God said through Isaiah (46:9-10), ".. for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me .. My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. Listen to this, it blows my mind every time I read. I read it over and over just be sure that it really does say it. Job was a man who was blameless before God. God allowed Job to be tested by Satan. So in the first few verses of Job he loses all his family (except his wife). His children are killed. All his cattle are killed. All his servants and his sheep are killed. Do you know what Job does? Let's read it, it's amazing.
“At this [that is, after hearing that he has lost EVERYTHING], Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing”. Job 1:20-22
WOW. Then Satan was given control over Job's body and he broke out in boils all over his body the Bible says the boils were from the soles of feet to the top of his head! At this, “his wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job 2:9,10 Do you know that the entire book of Job seeks to find the reason why God did all this Job? Do you know what God's answer was? You can find the answer in Job 38. God pretty much tells job that he really has no business trying to understand the ways of God. I know it's tough to hear all this but you shouldn't think that God is distant and far off. I love this quote by Loraine Boettner: "Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power. It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness, and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one”.
There's lots more to my story and lots more that God has so graciously and kindly taught me. He is SO good to teach me and not just leave to my own devices. Right now, I live with my parents. I submit to their input in my life. I am not married and there really is no 'potential' out there that I can think of. I may never marry. But God is still good. My work is hard and pretty disgusting at times. My life is not that exciting. But God is still good. I may not have all that desire, but I will be accepting of the fact that I may carry desires and dreams of mine to the grave. God does not have to fulfill all that I want in life. It's not about me, it's all about Him and the purpose of my life is give Him more glory in whatever way He decides is best.
The End.... For Now.
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