May 4: Worship in the Midst of Trials

Tahshiek Francis

Kings SDA

Theme: Faith That Stands the Test of Time

Job 1:20-22

Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.  And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  In all this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Often we hear the term, “the Lord gives and the Lord taketh away”. Oftentimes, we hear this when there is death…but have you ever heard this saying when an opportunity comes and is just taken away? Or you have been waiting for a moment to happen – some good news, some change of circumstances, and poof it’s just gone like the wind?

Well in my case, growing in a church of ambitious people, there are some things that I would have seen in my role models that I wanted to emulate such as ensuring I went to the best high school, getting excellent grades in my Caribbean Examination Council Exams, going to ‘foreign’ to work.

I was particularly interested in working in a foreign country. University was tough. Being a young single mom, attending school full-time, working part-time (yes, do the math), and trying to maintain my grades made me very stressed and tired. Nonetheless, I remained faithful.

There were days I had nothing but worshipped my God through it all. I have learned to trust in God through it all.

Then the opportunity arose, the long-awaited chance to participate in the Student Exchange Work Programme. On my application, I indicated that I do not work on Sabbaths. I made it clear verbally as well. However, these organisers were not on my mind or in my world of Sabbath. They heard me, yes, but they aimed to make their money. When I arrived in the States, I landed a well-paying job working in a grand hotel, but there was a catch. I had to work on the Sabbath. I was floored. I clarified why I was in this situation, where I had no family to fall back on, or even a second job. On the orientation day, they told us they used a seven-point system. For every unauthorized absence, etc., you lose a certain number of points. I remember vividly that if I missed Sabbaths, that was three points off, so I would have no job in two to three weeks. I walked out of that building that day and told myself, “The Lord gave me this opportunity, and if He wants to take it away, then He must have a plan.” I left confident that God would make a way, and I never returned. I immediately started job hunting. The first place I went was to meet the manager from the previous year, who had come from a different state. I was like, “What are you doing here?” He immediately hired me! Even though this situation is not precisely a Job situation, I could say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

This was a low-paying job, but the hours were certain; it would not suffice for my expenses – money borrowed to go on the programme, rent, groceries, travel, etc. - but it was a start. I was still in a dilemma: how would I pay off my expenses and make some money to return home? Like Job, I didn’t charge God for the fact that I can’t work on Sabbath and for the fact that my ideal job was pulled from under my feet and left me flat on my bottom. No, I trusted God. I kept pressing on, knowing God would make a way; I worshipped God nonetheless. This would not affect my praise, as dim as it seemed.

I went to the mall that same week and started applying to stores. Most did not want a temporary person, but there was a little old white lady who, obviously retired, was still so skilled in Human Resources that she continued to give her time to the company. She took a chance on me. I not only got Sabbaths off, but I could also choose my hours to land a third job at another company. I remember another employee there before me, turning up her nose at me and asking how I had just come and gotten Saturdays off, and she couldn't not, and was there for years. I remember my manager used to assure me that I could get anything I wanted regarding work hours, etc. That made others mad, but God was smiling on me. Isn’t God truly amazing! I worked so hard that summer, I could take home over US$ 7,000! At that time, that was a reasonable sum of money. I could pay my school fee for that final year in cash (October) and have money until April the following year to survive.

Initially, I could have sinned by not observing the Sabbath. I could have blamed God for my hiccups due to Sabbath keeping, but I knew that if I stood up for God, He would stand up for me. I worshipped God through everything, from the tough start to the improvement. I remember that I only got sleep on Wednesday nights, Friday nights, and the Sabbath. If I never loved Sabbaths again! Sabbath was like bliss to me. It was rest, worship, and bonding time with my Father in heaven. Oh, how I love him so. I knew that many more would come if the Lord took away an opportunity. I am a living testimony of what it is to worship God even when things I desire are taken away from me. God has always had greater desires for me. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, Thank You for being faithful even when our dreams seem to slip away. Help us to trust You through every trial, to worship You in every season, and to remember that Your plans for us are always good. Strengthen our faith to stand the test of time, and may our lives always declare: Blessed be the name of the Lord!

In Jesus' name, Amen.