Dear families,

In research, there is a common practice used to measure data: the pre-test and post-test. The pre-test is a baseline, assessing the state of something prior to experimental factors being introduced. As is suggested by the name, this happens prior to the experiment.

The post-test is a comparison, designed to compare the outcome of the experiment to the pre-test results in order to assess change. As the name suggests, the post-test comes after the experiment.

In the life of Job, we find a man who goes through the most traumatic experiences imaginable. Job lost his kids, his wealth, his career, and his friends. His sheep even burned up! (It’s true, read Job 1: 16.) Job’s life was turned upside down. His joy was low and his sorrow was high.

It’s fascinating to look at Job’s life before and after this series of trials. Prior to Job’s losing all he had, Job is described as blameless and upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. He had great spiritual fortitude and great material wealth.

Following his extended trial, Job repented of his wavering trust in God. Job was restored to God, and God restored his wealth to a greater degree than before.

The pre-test and post-test of Job’s journey demonstrate a man who, in the big picture, was unshakable in his relationship with God. Though he had high and low moments during the trial, Job was fully restored to God. Like Job, our faithfulness does not mean that there won’t be moments of struggle or slipping, but it does mean that overall, our faith in God remains and grows.
 
If you aren’t in the midst of a trial, know that God is strengthening your trust in Him so that when difficulty does come—and it will—your pre-test shows a strong faith that can endure. And if you are in the midst of great challenges right now, strive to endure so that a post-test might demonstrate that your love and trust of God has remained and even increased.

Trials are inevitable. Trust in God, who controls everything. Anticipate that trials will come, and aim for growth on the other side.

If you read or watch the news, you will soon discover that most of the news is bad news. Sometimes all of this bad news can cause us to ask why God would allow so many bad things to happen and so many people to suffer. We are not the first to ask these important questions. When Job lost everything - including his family - this is basically what he asked.

God answered Job, in part, by reminding him that He was all-powerful, always in control, and always good. Although Job couldn’t understand what God was doing, Job wanted to trust in who God is. Through all the suffering, while Job didn’t understand God correctly, he never turned away from Him. In the end, God helped Job understand Him better and He gave Job everything he had lost—and even more.

Romans 5: 3 - 4 tells us that we can rejoice in suffering because “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...” Even when we don’t understand the suffering that is happening to us or someone else that we care about, we can trust that God is good, He is present, and He is in control.

When we face hard things in life, we can still trust in God and His plans. Need proof? Just think about the cross. At the cross, God used the ultimate pain and suffering to bring the ultimate Good News - our salvation from sin.

Job learned that God is all-powerful, sovereign, and good. When we face suffering, we can hope in God. God sent Jesus, the only truly innocent One, to suffer and die so that everyone who trusts in Him can have forgiveness and eternal life.

Pray: God, help us always remember that You are in control. Help us to trust that You love us and have a plan for us—even when we face hard times. No matter what we face, help us to be faithful to You and to tell others about Your great love for us.

Who makes everything happen? God makes everything happen.

Who is in control of everything? God is in control of everything.

Who is in control of everything? God is in control of everything in heaven and on earth. Nothing is outside of God's good plan.

Plan a day of fun for your kids, but do not tell them any of the details. If they ask where you’re going or what you’ll do, remind them to trust that you have a plan. After the day of fun, talk about how it can be frustrating not to know what will happen next. Even in those moments, we can trust that God is all-powerful, sovereign, and good. We can always trust His plans for us.

Visit a nursing home or hospital to comfort the residents. Read books, play games, or think of other tangible ways your family can bring peace and joy to the residents. Talk with your kids about how we can be a comfort for those who are suffering because we know and trust God as the ultimate source of comfort.

Ask God to help you bless His name today, even if things don’t go well. Why could Job say “Blessed be His name” even when things were bad? How can we remember God’s goodness in times of trouble?

Make a list of all the things you have to be thankful for. Praise God for the blessings He has given to you and your family. How can we share our blessings with others to help them know Jesus?