The book of Job has forty-two chapters. In the first forty-one chapters, Job experienced the loss of his health, his wealth, and his family. Over and over again, he questioned God but got only silence for an answer. But he kept walking with God, and said, ‘When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold’ (Job 23:10 NIV). Notice three things: First, to become gold, you have to go through the fire. Second, the degree of heat and the amount of time required is determined by the refiner. Third, when you try to rush the process, you end up with a substance of lesser value, like tin. God told Joshua, ‘I will give you every place where you set your foot.’ In other words, ‘To get what I have promised, you must “walk out” the process.’ American poet C.V. White wrote: ‘The man who succeeds never waits for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a lot of grit, but the man that succeeds has both…Success is the accomplishment of that which people think can’t be done.’ Complacency, fatigue, doubt, criticism, and discouragement are everyday hurdles you must constantly overcome. And how do you do that? You keep on walking! You will notice a common thread throughout the Bible: when you really need Him, God shows up and does for you what you can’t do for yourself. The rest of the time – which is most of the time – He strengthens you and says, ‘You have to “walk out” the process.’ And that’s the word for today!
