He Gives and He Takes Away

I woke up with this thought this morning because yesterday was an extremely bittersweet day for me. The bible says in Job 1:21, "He said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

I haven't ever fully understood this, because why would I want to praise the name of the Lord for taking things away! Besides the obvious, He's God and He can do whatever He wants and we should be in that place where we can praise Him in the good and the bad. But I have a revelation that God taking away isn't such a bad thing.

So to break it down, God gave a lot yesterday to me and others in my circle. Victory was had.

1. I sang for the first time on a Sunday morning in over a year. I had to fight through it, but I was obedient and I was extremely honored to be used by God in that venue and I know that He accomplished what He wanted to.

2. A dear friend of mine has had a vision to open an Performance Arts School for a long time and yesterday that vision came to life! Such an amazing victory.

Those are just two major things, but really getting the chance to live the day was a victory, right?

God also took away, or should I say He welcomed someone very precious in our family yesterday to His world and took him from this one. My Uncle Larry. A sweet and precious man who has struggled physically with various things over the last couple of years. He had a heart attack yesterday afternoon and went to be with Jesus around 9pm last night. Chad and I were at the church for a young married's event so we were close enough for me to go to the hospital and say my final goodbyes to him in this world. Very hard, but rejoicing that he is not being tormented any longer in this world.

It seems Chad and I are in a season of God giving and taking away. It's been that way all year long really if we think about it. He has given us truth and has taken our unbelief away. He has given us peace and has taken our anxiety away. He has given us His Holy Spirit and has taken away any desire to do anything else other than listen for His voice and His guidance.

I guess the point that I am trying to see myself is that God's way of giving and taking away is bittersweet but results in victory and progress so it's all good whether it's being given or taken away. God's ways are so amazing and gracious.

Whether or not it's a physical death or death to ourselves (taking up our cross everyday and following Him) it all results in us growing and getting closer to Him.

I will leave you with this scripture, but don't just read it with the perspective of physically dying. Look at it from the standpoint of dying to oneself as well.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58, " Where, o death, is your victory? Where, o death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give  yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Death is not a bad thing when we are submitted to the Spirit of God in our lives. It's growth, think about it...