Job 40:4, “I am unworthy ~ how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.”

Job was speaking with God and as righteous of a man as Job was, even according to God, he knew he wasn’t in a position to question God.  Job had been through the fire, losing everything and then having to listen to the ridicule of his “friends” who knew nothing about the situation either.  Instead of just sitting silently or being an encouragement they pounced on judging him instead.  None of his friend’s accusations were true, he was not being punished by God.  God was actually proving Job’s faithfulness in His walk with God.  When God stepped in and spoke, Job knew that in all of his earthly righteousness, it still didn’t put him in a position to question the Almighty God, in fact, he decided it was best to just put his hand over his mouth so nothing would slip out.  

Have you ever found yourself at that point?  You have just had it with everything going on in your life and you just can’t take it anymore and words just start spilling out on everyone around you or people you wish were around you so you could give them a piece of your mind while you are feeling it.  In fact, you have a word or two you would like to contend with God over….STOP!  That’s when you know it’s time to put your hand over your mouth if you haven’t already.  Those thoughts and words will only hinder your situation. Satan is the father of lies and he wants you to accept and dwell on thoughts of hopelessness, fear, heartaches, and anything else he can feed your mind with to draw you away from what God has to say about it all.  God is for you and satan is still using the same tactics he always has and that is to get you to believe that God doesn’t care or is oblivious to what you are facing.  You won’t find a verse in the Bible to support that thought process because it is straight from Hell!  This is why you must be in His Word, listening or reading to renew your mind daily.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  I pray that verse often!  Anytime I start feeling an ugly attitude, frustration, defeat, pity party, or anything else negative coming on I pray those words.  What I have found though is that it would also be a good idea for me to just put my hand over my mouth so I don’t start speaking those frustrations or negative thoughts.  Don’t give the devil an opportunity to defeat you today!  Replace those lies and negative, hopeless thoughts with the truth of what God’s Word has to say!

Now, there’s a time to speak to others about what has happened between you so you can work through it, and there’s a time to be silent.  It’s always best to take some time, even if the situation is an urgent one and pray about it all.  Ask God to give you the words you need to speak so it will help mend the breach, not widen it, and the words that will bring God into it all so there can be healing.  God would love to help in those situations, He just isn’t always invited.  Whether it is your spouse, a coworker, a friend, or a family member, it will always turn out better if you invite God in.

God has a plan for you and your life and satan is bent on getting in the way.  It is a choice each time which one you will align yourself with.  It’s scary to think we can so easily allow satan that opportunity but he is a crafty character.  The more time you spend getting to know who God is the more you will recognize satan’s schemes.  Make sure that you have given God first place in your life and set your sights on continuing to grow in the understanding and knowledge of who He is!