By Pastor Don Thomas, Central Christian Church

You’re the God of the breakthrough, when I’m breaking down.

You’ll be working a way through, when there’s no way out. This one thing I know…You’re still on Your throne. So whatever I’m feeling, I’ve still got a reason to praise.”
– Lyrics from Reason to Praise-Cory Asbury

Those lyrics really hit me this week. That’s from a new song that our Praise Team has been working on called “Reason to Praise.” I have no idea what was going on in his life, when the song writer was penning these lyrics…but it sounds like he was dealing with a lot.

Maybe you can relate! Maybe you spend hours daily trying NOT to break down! The stress, the anxiety…the weights that are dragging you down-they just never seem to let up! Maybe it’s staring into the abyss of grief. You’ve said goodbye to so many loved ones, and you wonder if you’ll ever be able to get past this. Maybe it’s dealing with that teenager-the one you love, you birthed and right now is climbing on any nerve that is still working in your body! Scripture never tells us how old Satan was when he fell from heaven…but I wouldn’t be surprised if the answer was 16! Can God REALLY work a “way through, when there seems to be no way out???”

We’ve been digging through the book of Job recently, and it has really challenged me a lot! We know the story: Job has it all, loses it all, is covered with boils…and his wife and friends are just nagging him constantly! He spends 30+ chapters asking God the big question: Why is this happening to me? As questions go…that’s a doozy! I’m guessing Job saw a lot of pain and disarray…and saw no way out!

Then God shows up and starts asking questions of HIM! For 129 verses, God fires query after query at Job: Where were you when I told the seas where to stop? Do you understand how a donkey works? Or oxen? Or an Ostrich? Can you shout at the clouds and make them rain? Question after question…and Job just has to listen to it!

The ironic part of this entire conversation is this: GOD NEVER ANSWERS JOB’S QUESTION! God speaks for Four Chapters…but never gives His Faithful servant Job, the answer to his “why” question! He just keeps telling Job, that he is NOT alone, nor will he ever be! If you really read between the lines, God is telling Job “You don’t need a ‘why’…you need ME!”

All too often, we are content to know God at a distance…but that’s never what He’s called us to do! He’s called us to “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to YOU!” (James 4:8) If we keep Him at a distance, we are constantly going to be let down by our circumstances! But as we draw our heart and our situations into HIS CHARACTER…then the situations don’t weigh us down as much!

“This one thing I know…You’re still on Your Throne. So whatever I’m feeling…I’ve still got a reason to PRAISE!” What is weighing you down right now? What looks hopeless to you?

Take your focus off of THOSE things…and put them on PRAISING GOD! You can find a reason to praise… if you’ll fix your eyes on HIM! You may not get the “why” you are looking for…you might get a whole lot more!

May His Peace and Comfort wash all over you today! SHALOM