Recovery Principle: Only God Can Restore Our Sanity

Even people as righteous as brother Job have difficult times. Remember, in chapter one of Job, God said that there was none like Job in all the earth. God said that he was righteous and worthy of consideration for anyone who wonders whether someone can serve God with his or her whole heart. God said Job loathed evil and avoided it at all costs. So this is not some baseless opinion of one of Job’s biggest fans. This is God’s view, who knows even the hidden intent of the heart. Yet, even with the full recommendation of God, we see that humanity is indeed frail. Our lives are full of trouble and to feel a sense of being under the scrutiny of Almighty God is much more than we think we can bear. Job understood the insubstantial nature of humanity, and during his greatest trial, in spiritual and physical exhaustion he desired to be left alone to just pass off the scene and rest.

The truth is that we are frail. The truth is that our days are few in the grand scheme. The truth is that God’s judgments and lessons may seem too difficult for anyone to shoulder. But one thing Job missed during his struggle was that God was with Him. God was not executing judgment! As ironic as it seems, God recommended Job for refinement. God gave His stamp of approval on Job’s life and put His own reputation on the line to say that any human being who trusts in God can go through any and every trial Satan sends our way, and come through triumphantly. However, the power to endure is not innate. Contrary to popular self-help and bestselling positive thinking books, we do not look within for the fortitude to endure. We do not merely believe in ourselves for this kind of success. If we hope to be successful in this life and the life to come on an eternal level, we must look outside us.

Yes, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, but we were made. Yes, we are intelligent creatures with loads of potential, but the One with the broadest mind in the universe created us. Yes, we can be determined, honest, powerful, and faithful no matter what, but it is God who works these wonderful principles in our lives.

So, please remember that when you are at your wit’s end, only God’s power can restore you to sanity. His power is infinitely greater than your own. Keep Him foremost in your mind and life and you will be preserved until He comes no matter what happens in the meantime.