Job

I sit here in my bed a broken man. I'm broken. Used goods. I have a heart that loves to seek after evil, a mind that yearns to destroy itself. I am nobody, and yet I am the same as everybody. We are each evil and broken in our own way. That statement alone brings tears to my eyes and hope to my heart.
If we are honest with ourselves, the statement I've made above makes sense, and you understand exactly what I'm talking about. We ARE all broken in some way, each and everyone of us. God knows that, others around us know that, but for some reason, we don't always seem to know it. But just because we're broken doesn't mean we can't be fixed or restored.
When a toy that our children play with breaks, one that they particularly love, we immediately look for solutions to fix it. We try to be innovative and fix it ourselves, we call someone who knows how to fix it, or we just go out and buy them a new one. We desperately want their happiness, and we don't want them to hurt. Even though it is just a toy, children only know so few things that a broken toy is like a broken heart.
In the same way, God is our father. He doesn't want us to feel sadness or pain. He sees that we are broken, and He knows EXACTLY how to fix us. He tries giving us direction, He pours out His love upon us, He does everything a perfect father would and should do. The problem is not our father, the problem is us. The children. We refuse to see His hand in front of us. We refuse to feel His love and mercy. And just like you would feel to watch your child cry out in pain and do everything you can to make his pain go away, God feels for us when we reject His help. But the difference is that He never gives up. Ever.
I was reading Job this morning, and it is one of my favorite books of the bible. It is real life. These are trials that he is going through, much like trials we go through. Yet we see how Job responds in both positive and negative ways. But what inspired me was the positive way in which he responded. His livestock was destroyed, houses were in ruins, and his children all died on the same day. And instead of crying and cursing and drinking and throwing himself headfirst into depression and a life of darkness, he PRAISES God. He rejoices. He says, God gives and God takes away. We take the good days, so we must also take the bad days.
I will admit that I begin weeping each time I read those lines, as I am weeping now just writing about it. I think about how often I turn away from the love and help of Jesus that stands right in front of me in times of trouble. Sure, I don't always turn away, sometimes I accept His help immediately. But sometimes I choose to just feel sorry for myself, complain, moan, cry out. And yet, God is right there, the whole time, watching me, cradling me, loving me like the perfect father He is, always giving me a way out. But I don't see it because of my pride, because of my selfish heart.
I am encouraged each day in some way, some days more than others. Today was more than others, and you needed to know in the hopes that you might be encouraged, as well.