In the middle of life’s busyness and chaos, it can be easy to miss out or believe that God’s plan for our lives has been forgotten about or abandoned. What can be even worse is when we face tragedy or hardship, and the Lord seems to stay quiet. And yet, through the silence we can begin to see God do miraculous works so long as we stay still and allow Him to do what only He can do.
In the Bible, there are two stories in particular that show God’s restorative power as He took two very broken people and brought healing and redemption to their lives. The first is Naomi’s story from the book of Ruth.
Naomi, an older Israelite woman living in the foreign nation of Moab, lost her husband and later both of her sons. She told her sons’ widows that they no longer must stay with her as she returns back to her hometown of Bethlehem. However, one of her daughter-in-laws, Ruth, refused to leave Naomi’s side.
Instead, she pledged to stay with her and worship the one true living God, only allowing death to separate them. So, Ruth went back home with Naomi where she found favor with one of Naomi’s relatives, Boaz, who allowed her to glean the grain from his field, while promising her safety among his young men and women. Eventually, Ruth and Boaz married, preserving Naomi’s family line. Ruth and Boaz’s son, Obed, was the grandfather of David, the lineage of which the Messiah would come to the world.
Sometimes when we cry out because of the circumstances we face, we have little to no idea of what God is about to do. Instead, He just needs us to act out in faith and believe that He will use all things together for our good. Naomi lost her family, yet God was able to not only restore her, but use the circumstance to bring the Savior to the world.
Another story we see in Scripture about the power of redemption and restoration is Job’s story. Job was a man who was completely devoted to the Lord in every way. In fact, Scripture refers to Job as a “blameless and upright man who feared God.”
Yet, Satan told God that the only reason Job was faithful was because God had blessed him. Knowing Job’s heart, God allowed Satan to test Job. Job ended up losing everything—his family, his livestock, his physical appearance—everything that you can imagine. Job experienced pain at the highest level. He was tested beyond belief with His experience. He felt suffering and the reality that God had allowed this kind of turmoil to happen. And through all of these losses, Job repented before the Lord. He knew God was the creator of all, and His divine wisdom far exceeded Job’s own human knowledge.
God used the pain and brokenness of Job’s circumstances to draw him in. God gave him a new family, a new life, and he was blessed after this repentance. Scripture says that: “Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons and their sons to the fourth generation. So Job died, being old and full of days,” (Job 42:16-17).
While we all experience tragedy, pain and heartbreak, the Lord is still good, He’s still on the throne, and we can still trust that His sovereign will is perfect.
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
Stephen Strang