I am currently reading through Job and it is a fresh read using the New Living Translation, which isn’t my normal translation. It’s helped me stay engaged.

This reading is also helping me remember different places where I’ve heard teaching or sermons and this particular passage from Job 23 was one:

Job 23:8–10 (NIV)

⁸ “But if I go to the east, he is not there; 

if I go to the west, I do not find him. 

⁹ When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; 

when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 

¹⁰ But he knows the way that I take; 

when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

There are those times in our lives where we need direction and can’t seem to sense what God is saying to us. Or, we’re going through a loss and we don’t know which way is up and God seems to be hiding.

There are times when I’ve so desperately needed direction from him, or comfort from him, and I felt exactly this way. I’ve looked in every direction… and can’t seem to find him.

Job settles in on this: HEY! God knows where to find ME! I may not find him but he sure knows how to find me and eventually I will trust he can indeed show up. He will see where I am, and I will know his testing, and HE will see I’ve held firm to him!

There are times we search and don’t see him. We don’t know his presence that used to be so familiar to us. He’s “ghosted” us, it seems. It is incredibly frustrating. Those are times I know I’ve shouted out in my spirit, “HEY! I’m right here! When you get a minute… how about showing up?”

God just doesn’t mind our honesty and anger.

He knows the way you take. He knows your faithfulness. He knows your pain. Tell him. Let it pour out.