Hold on to Him
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. ~ Job 13:15
Job 13 is one of the most raw and honest chapters in all of Scripture. Job stands before his friends and God, hurting and confused, but not without hope. He has lost nearly everything, his health, wealth, and children, yet he boldly declares, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” That kind of faith is not cheap or shallow. It comes from deep pain, deep wrestling, and a deep commitment to trust God, even when life makes no sense.
I’ve had moments where, in a small way I felt like Job, completely exposed and vulnerable, praying for answers and hearing none, seeking comfort and finding silence. I remember walking through a season when someone I loved was fighting for their life, and I couldn’t understand why God wasn’t stepping in the way I hoped He would. I kept praying, showing up, believing, but it felt like God was quiet. Honestly, I had to make a choice: Would I keep trusting God even when I didn’t understand Him?
During that time, Job’s example taught me something so powerful that I still remember today: you can question and still trust. You can hurt and still hope. You can be honest with God and still hold on to Him. Job didn’t pretend everything was fine, he expressed his confusion and frustration, but at the end of the day, he landed on clinging to God as his only hope and so did I.
When I came to the end and determined that no matter what happens around me, it will not shake my faith in God and I know He is always working on things below the surface. That is why we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 4 that we do not focus on the outward circumstance because they are always changing. Instead we keep our heart fixed on the unseen, unchanging presence of the Holy Sprit that is constantly at work especially when we cannot see it.
Here are a few practical steps to help you when you cannot see hope in the middle of the storm:
- Pray honestly. Tell God exactly how you feel. Job didn’t sugarcoat his pain, and neither should we. God can handle your truth.
- Write it down. Journaling your prayers, questions, and even doubts help bring clarity and release.
- Rehearse truth. Go back to what you know about God, His faithfulness, His goodness, and His presence, even when you don’t feel it.
- Stay planted in Scripture. Read the Psalms or other parts of Job. Let God’s Word remind you that you’re not alone.
- Keep going. Trust isn’t a feeling, it’s a choice. Job said, “I will defend my ways to His face.” He chose to stay in the conversation with God, and so can you.
Today I want to encourage you that you don’t have to have it all figured out to be faithful. Job wasn’t applauded for having the perfect response, he was honored because he never walked away from God, even in his suffering. Let your story be one of courageous trust in the middle of unanswered questions. You may not see the end yet, but you are still in the hands of the One who knows the whole picture. Even when everything around you shakes, your trust in God can be your anchor.
Today’s scripture reading: Job 13
1 “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.
2 I know as much as you do. You are no better than I am.
3 As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself.
4 As for you, you smear me with lies. As physicians, you are worthless quacks.
5 If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do.
6 Listen to my charge; pay attention to my arguments.
7 “Are you defending God with lies? Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake?
8 Will you slant your testimony in his favor? Will you argue God’s case for him?
9 What will happen when he finds out what you are doing? Can you fool him as easily as you fool people?
10 No, you will be in trouble with him if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor.
11 Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you?
12 Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes. Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.
13 “Be silent now and leave me alone. Let me speak, and I will face the consequences.
14 Why should I put myself in mortal danger and take my life in my own hands?
15 God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.
16 But this is what will save me—I am not godless. If I were, I could not stand before him.
17 “Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.
18 I have prepared my case; I will be proved innocent.
19 Who can argue with me over this? And if you prove me wrong, I will remain silent and die.
20 “O God, grant me these two things, and then I will be able to face you.
21 Remove your heavy hand from me, and don’t terrify me with your awesome presence.
22 Now summon me, and I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply.
23 Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.
24 Why do you turn away from me? Why do you treat me as your enemy?
25 Would you terrify a leaf blown by the wind? Would you chase dry straw?
26 “You write bitter accusations against me and bring up all the sins of my youth.
27 You put my feet in stocks. You examine all my paths. You trace all my footprints.
28 I waste away like rotting wood, like a moth-eaten coat.
Journal:
- What is one area in your life right now where you’re struggling to understand what God is doing?
- Write a prayer of trust, like Job’s, that declares your decision to keep believing, even in the unknown.
The Daily Dose 