Genesis 42:28
And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
Jacob made the same mistake that many believers make in that he wanted to blame God for his situation being bad. When Jacob heard that one of his sons was kept captive, and when they opened their sacks to empty the groceries and saw their money, he asked, What is this that God hath done unto us? Instead of thinking that this could be a blessing, he blamed God for his life situation being bad.
This story reminds me of Naomi. It was Naomi who left God’s will to go to the land of Moab, and when she had lost everything, she finally decided to come back home. She said in Ruth 1:21, I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? Instead of taking responsibility for her actions, she blamed God for everything that had gone wrong in her life.
Too many believers want to blame God for their life situation when they don’t know what He is doing in their lives. What we often think could be something bad that God is doing could be God’s way of caring for us. We don’t see the big picture of God’s caring and providing hand; therefore, we must learn to trust Him and His providence that He knows what He is doing in our lives, and that what He is doing is best for us. Let me give you a couple thoughts of what to do when it seems that life is against you.
First, don’t blame God foolishly. Job seemed to have every right to blame God for what was going on in his life, but he didn’t. Instead, the Scriptures say about him in Job 1:22, In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. To blame God when you don’t know what He is doing in your life is foolish. We study many characters in the Scriptures and see that God has always cared for them, and He will care for us as He did for them. Therefore, be careful about blaming God for something that we think is bad when it is likely for our good.
Second, thank God for what He is doing in your life. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. One of the hardest things to do when you cannot see what God is doing in your life is to thank Him, but you must by faith thank Him. God does care for you and He loves you; these facts alone should cause you to thank Him.
Third, trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. The fact that God tells us to trust Him means we don’t know what He is doing in our lives. Trusting the God who cared enough to save me from my sins should be one of the easiest actions any believer does. When you believe that God is in control and that He knows our tomorrow is when trusting Him becomes easy.
Does life seem to be against you right now? Let me encourage you to look at these thoughts and apply them to your life. Jacob couldn’t see that God was caring for Him through the difficult circumstance, but He was. This same God cares for you. Trust Him; He has everything under control.
