Restorative Hope

Difficult times come to everyone. Even the most well equipped, well trained, well prepared person has difficulties throughout their life. No one is exempt. Though, at times, it can certainly feel like some people have all the luck and catch all the breaks. Difficulties are a part of this life. It is a natural part of what we call this broken world. It comes as a result of sin in the world. The rest is simply because we are humans and as such, we simply are not perfect, no matter how hard we try to be or may think that we are. There are just some days that feel as though God sat down with Satan and hashed out a plan to test our limits like the story of Job. The truth is, if you read that story close enough, you will find that God didn't do any bargaining that day. He never does. He simply allowed something to happen but he gave it perimeters. The hope for us in that story is not that God is battling for us or that he is wiser than us or that he was here before us. That is all true. There is no doubting any of that. The real hope for us is that God is so big and so powerful and so large and in charge that Satan had to ask permission. He would never admit that is what he had to do. Satan is that type that would claim that he pulled one over on God or that his cunning and crafty wit is what gave him some victory over God in Job's life but in reality, he had to ask permission. And God, being God, didn't sweat it because with the snap of his fingers Job was restored to, not just like new condition but rather, better than new condition. That is what God does. He doesn't bargain with us. He allows us to live our lives and mess it up like we are so prone to do. But he is there to pick us up and restore us to better than new condition. That is our hope!