God's Doing?
What goes around comes around.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world. - 1 Samuel 2:7-8
Which is easier to believe, that God raises us up or that He knocks us down?
If we can believe He has a hand in helping the poor and lowly to rise up and be whole, wouldn't He also have the power and desire at times to pull us down to teach us a lesson?
I was raised on the idea that God is quick to punish those who do wrong, but these days we don't like to think of God as a punisher, do we?
The image we have of God is one of a savior, a loving Dad who cannot wait for the chance to help lift us up.
We seek God's help when we are down, but what do we do when everything is going our way? Do we give Him the credit? Do we offer up thanks and praise?
Maybe God does take the wind out of our sails from time to time, just to remind us that we are not alone in our journey, nor are we solely responsible for the good that comes our way.
It wouldn't be a bad thing to think that He does.
We all need to be reminded of the fact that everything is temporary. As the song goes, we may be riding high in April and shot down in May.
That doesn't mean we should live in fear of losing all we have gained, like Job. Instead, we could take the time to be thankful for what we have.
If it all comes from God, then maybe we should consider sharing some of it with those who are waiting for God to help lift them up.
Maybe that is the way God planned it.
More to come...