“Have I sinned? What have I done to You, Watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to myself?”

- Job 7:20

I have a silly poem I wrote some years ago when I was going through a challenging time and was upset that people were saying God wouldn’t give me more than I could handle.

In my opinion, that isn’t true or biblical. I think God allows more than we can handle at times for reasons we don’t always know or understand. (Job is an excellent example of this.)

But, I believe one reason trials and adversity come into our lives is so that we will rely entirely on God and give Him the glory He deserves.

Cracked up
And this is the way Humpty Dumpty climbed the wall and tried to get to the top.
And this is the way he thought all was well that actually was not.
And this is the way he lost his head and became an egg gone bad.
And this is the way he fell to the hot pavement and lost all in the world that he had.
And this is the way a good egg cracks up when too much pressure is applied. Can a good egg become a nut? Don’t ask Humpty Dumpty; he’s fried.

I think if we are honest, at one point or another in our lives, we have all felt overwhelmed, stressed, or burned out.

When I wrote that poem some years ago, I was a single mom, newly divorced, trying to make ends meet, with no child support, home, or car.

I had been a stay-at-home mom for many years, so when I moved into my parent’s home with three children, three dogs, and no job, I honestly had no idea what I would do.

I felt so lost. Grief doesn’t adequately describe the pain I felt over the demise of my marriage and family. It resonated throughout my entire body. Everything hurt.

I couldn’t see a way out of my pain, grief, and lack of finances. But God had a plan.

It was to prosper me and not harm me. It was a good plan to give me a purpose and hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Like Job, I had questions of God. I wanted to know why such things were happening to me. But God doesn’t always give us an answer; even if He did, it wouldn’t necessarily change the outcome.

I think one of the most interesting books of the Bible is the Book of Job. I look at all Job went through and count my blessings. But the more I study Job, the more I understand that it shows us that innocent people suffer. Job had not committed any sin that led to his suffering. Job’s suffering actually came as a test of his faith. I don’t know what you are going through today, but God desires you to draw close to Him. He is strong enough to handle your questions and faithful to see you through your circumstances and pain.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for reminding me that I can cry out to you. Thank you for understanding my doubts and questions. Please help me to listen closely to your voice today. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd