%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 19 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /XObject << /I1 15 0 R /I2 16 0 R /I3 23 0 R /I4 24 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 17 0 R /GS2 18 0 R /GS3 21 0 R /GS4 22 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text /ImageC ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 1.0.2 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20241126153315+00'00') /ModDate (D:20241126153315+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1938 >> stream xXMWTnY@io; $a${dMiyh46S0QȪz^UsGq6o(+IEYSbzh~g7L ~ˆ(W&+YGβj8 %sw{w&t>Wx}?&Ro'rGe%ˁ1ryoϿ|J&27EpxK?>j\f%5eHd>4iG!w9JI+T߂>vHbWQاWdo i4*ҕ4탇 }}iӖ~rIz} +"\rkqHa\O0HK 2Gi{V CO4VK1Yt# aЁS*bv6:RW!e4`FmD0VY gjYv(MADUXh0\otKpbU#7,!d,H}Ѓ2 2@̌4ɳ wQU@=)3r1(;naAxx=UeIU59i&Yse|k T[\ ~Q'bx}!zRI7 $)} #䠠XX I`B}JA5ÃN#ʌx\cJ2DkopzDHcP}Ě~!z1[bKT'XY nKX#5ZZho8*n)d4ه8@Zd7*0pE EP8HPrW3\Xh(ѫau |:x5#\DhI3 bos`bXqP#M}k ad;46բ/,.3O#_1yB|k wꞦ!R{AP`ϓ/Wz>G|GXP%([?AOWE/k^Y0j`A3Cr¬ ι״UʗA>0<W#a\:jj9VpG} 2B哠|d!U. tĈ򈃈T7-ߝїE,7 p€5PP28M> -wW}gKo?lxVNn};|lryjF7ۻ4^Dilo"ƂK~_c8uؗsNd1IU9o<\J*eQ/= u)_YX^@Eܹ[5ؗ}z byR endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 20 0 R >> endobj 20 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1574 >> stream xWMo6WLn Wj?S@@ITHjϰ );NKX8vej{34)DKzgt|]u,Kz9}{MyῬw$l麢RJdI5o߼+h$ FZ;KԪZޓ$24bёA'8W`L|S};]:[G XخE G'oj4S}0J sN :5=ӈN%6mV(6F)Kwq1$lx@YlTaA]B׀xd zU OJ,F8)_Έ*ENj+-5R٨2N8'ٱ=h8Iy3"f^NoZ"!Lغ@ v*xӕ< !=T)x:װDQ~(5y?1)  -F^<TWH@6 qZ@D:Y}=Z& ;D⡬Rw zAɀZ1BO]bbxM#n%O+]1xhFTd?diu-ՠoHłIb&p\#rC%uGюe{sJƶo a# "nofb3G;ofߊ.J"ZO1vβ؛: m2 g_OL"&g 08Vc!6EcIʗɨCm6S|Q[=̩-R$(]Ƹ<;,L6}BJ&B#E\T#ԍ{> bO1H2Y1:|sWRv7 tpXpܧь/}PwjSjW$elV!):IhqӠƏ "Bshdv0iTGqyi1B[(,4uc.̕^Ei"-觫_?O>M8b1d1vT.2pSa0I%]ۏܙeO5T#?uS M&U5pR2.񽛬l/1@'t 3/ $z1$ FÒot' eD>/EVg1Gʅ . ,Fb* .jE ZO9kc##P2lHN9$Lm4Zc2Ղӗ#b(rS,591">: ywTÈD9[)7)vG.*Vl IoK3~>`ObTc{ fm=17b㾋v16^s"c{U>$),l.&gnѿG 'Hmѝ <<,]ggY',]\;}3 ]?wn/..JaNgD#xڭ*%J0A7yCˎ_,ׯloa״AWۇd"U endstream endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Type /XObject /Subtype /Image /Width 550 /Height 140 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Predictor 15 /Colors 1 /Columns 550 /BitsPerComponent 8>> /ColorSpace /DeviceGray /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 5329>> stream xqDǯ뺒$ILfff&I335Lf2\3I2L&_3$3I$d+$\W=9y9lLss99P`0 `0 `0 `0 !U_:~u = F~sZŻدns⃪Qg¢G(F[-s͓^ DZ>d>3Dr#\OΉ, ZFwjux<;4Ƀxز#_v?nO<|{7c(b{Oū}w[N e~Hs䎷wwOn<1B.k+%U=eԘ -mCj)t:}c'ϓ*n"-ovkZ?R"V%wʶ7s]eX&eǕq` 1-2e JYHCFOUam 7:(Ԙt_@ހN t{B~ :V@}o#7!z^&zFL:ʤn X<- %"bNWqF c` M'4?cH-V`ǵAF>=#Ěm75dB I&7E5<>-͏їFǿl3M6x]Y&)2 FoΌ N.<t i4wL\^=_|Fo؏IȄ ik$ɄL?{?|tmCޮ=~T&iTevϷ'奔s?EꋄLPY͹箵?@L:Aˤ3y_:9AtA*0qVe- e6g)%a}.qKcI V/xʤzM|\ HSql0;*%+Mذ-闛obebu2iU&lLbtIcxb5^B#8 ޮaʻ _ w>j+L:$"&O;bZ K1 jmU玫ݢ=S/J<WO2'_yUPvp=`"aL5 Nl7"rlQT޼==-I[Se* F'(\`󴯉'{:נnVZ TG6*r$Tyx^LJū.C<3` %ANrxUo"˄ 0&$tO F&bIcW3GG͈ y!{m,LkCI d,(2"@ dR%F1thUL8Rݒ^+v9^?sʯYעDl~Qd" N2sc|ov}=F,3K#vxIvG^,[OM&wI[#,Jޙ\ض;L^fv[LbyYvM#/EI#/Zס$(ڼ ," &LK/IF i-Zx彰픢]MKeR n(PhV'LҸ\f$w/ e]"mɷWO߻˱ KerSPe (ӼGMȈ}X?ʍto7ZKl+81_Y&ǡd uʤ1Vw!sQ"/$zNkw(t)2BWQW"˄OXLp:e‡# וzn2F}qlc5ؾ:WH xLz LP:d# Q>(MRېd2Qt$o~R$YR5,-nޜLr_βehd" 2k1lvO X= eC p+[R=jU!֖}_DޟY2 (*wkZQ>Fl̲soR#^u3hhyTԲt.LtD8sk4z4Rbl@zp4hy0Tn\=.fnő Y/:TC9<@fSI$:QR/bq7DfR/ֻn)Vqd"䳽˄GL;ϝRG顼n&%Sv eFv,L"t}I&N> D73]$e)( ;]XhL`kSzJlcC$<)깍h}dr,1ܝRM뭍eMa $?e3f8΍҈&P(x+JU5{I 3 M- ;7|#G9 !\œ&=xp2,L{-`?OW":4uܚEadv ~9q.VdV%UT@73$@W¯B!ݒaVLH:!opr;gAɀiήpfߙR E/IDO*Luf0}{7mfyDxT.g)w5RvHx#Z]&M$ gZUTt+lZqZ_;a&JaG,-JLJDFIcV|:I3nB&;N0Lna=Y_Gl,p5,,kc EKgd;2vt7selT9˸sX޲.6r<1!| L0lTMS1?Xsf cq )KSgBB&׭x. v c@^Yk΀v],E[ɾ QhYyXXC2)g/J@su1ScL, ?C[{V2i͛!סӠ&> 6lu>4Ƕʤ|=12鱧l{^:a/Y%~].26G: p^CZ V&Vedҟ?RrX7d#I]ՕuL1 ?_ /12IEh ̴b<ӯ^e _ϝ䰻^]vy> /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB /BitsPerComponent 8 /Length 873>> stream x1j08-K/)],) &gi+:U̲\"9H!@"9H!@"9H!@eY.Z[p_E{QHKV[/`j%ʒcP,SX4W{7urd5ɱPr:-ֆʇX$$zfZpClbw7z{[]qGlwlGlZiM,ߺ7x}w` L9=3zpWL9 j)ۓB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$e]k` B$ DrB$ DrB$ DrB$/؋ endstream endobj xref 0 25 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000461 00000 n 0000000498 00000 n 0000000647 00000 n 0000000750 00000 n 0000002761 00000 n 0000002868 00000 n 0000002976 00000 n 0000003086 00000 n 0000003199 00000 n 0000003315 00000 n 0000003344 00000 n 0000003454 00000 n 0000009029 00000 n 0000010160 00000 n 0000010219 00000 n 0000010278 00000 n 0000010383 00000 n 0000012031 00000 n 0000012088 00000 n 0000012145 00000 n 0000017720 00000 n trailer << /Size 25 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[<7f51c98cbb93b62c3637d7e5b8e5ea17><7f51c98cbb93b62c3637d7e5b8e5ea17>] >> startxref 18851 %%EOF Stubborn faith | Caring Magazine

Vol. #28

Grace Uncovered

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Stubborn faith

March 26, 2010
3 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

the spiceBox

by Sharon Robertson, Lt. Colonel –

The earth trembles and quakes, and cities fall. Ocean waves defy their boundaries, surging inland with remorseless, irresistible force. Powerful super storms rage through by the countryside, razing everything in their paths. Disease rides on the wings of the birds, every year a form new and more virulent. Terrorism, wars declared and undeclared, internecine conflicts that rend the fabric of social organizations great and small, from political to familial, threaten our very existence. The almighty dollar that funded our golden dreams has crumbled into ashes and drifted away on the winds of harsh reality, and with it has gone hope, confidence, optimism, faith in the future and in our place in it. Grief and despondence surrounds us like a dense fog; we cannot see the way, and are too hurt and confused to continue the search for it.

Where is God when you need Him!

Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in 1969 identified emotions that we all tend to experience as individuals coping with loss: denial – refusing to believe what has occurred; anger – blame-placing, accusing God or others for what has occurred; bargaining – seeking to make a deal with God; depression – feelings of exhaustion, helplessness, guilt, lack of interest in life; acceptance – dealing with loss and moving on, focusing more positively on the future, less past disaster. In the interim since that time this list of “stages of grief” has been extensively reviewed, modified and remodeled, but it remains a useful tool in recognizing and coping with the emotions that make our journey from devastation to wholeness so perplexing, so confusing, so seemingly hopeless.

The Bible also has a lot to say about dealing with the internal forces that overwhelm the victim of a devastatingly collision with his personal universe. Among the most memorable is Job, a man battered by a barrage of personal disasters specifically designed to destroy all that he had, all that he loved … all that he believed in. Job survived his ordeal, but the challenge to his faith was real, a battle of faith versus grief and all its attendant baggage. Long before Kubler-Ross and modern psychology, the author of this amazing book understood and recorded the emotional journey forced upon us by disaster and the need to cope with its results.

Scripture presents the life of Job as a drama played out on the stage of life, a biography of a real person faced with real tragedy, and very real grief, the target of Satan, who hoped to prove a correlation between faith and a personal sense of well-being, or “blessing”. The wealthy, respected patriarch Job tragically loses his children, his material wealth and position, and even the respect of his wife and peers as the result of a series of sudden and devastating disasters. His body is racked by disease, and he is accused of hidden sin in his dealings with others.

Job’s confusion and grief were compounded not only by the betrayal of his friends, but the apparent desertion of his God. Though his faith had been exemplary, a model for others, everything that he valued was gone. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him, God’s faithful servant. He blamed his friends for lacking sympathy and understanding; he was angry with God for failing to protect him, for failing to reward his righteousness with justice; understandably, depression overwhelmed him, and he lamented that he had ever been born. Yet through all this, Job clung stubbornly to his faith in the very God who seemed to have deserted him. His faith was not reasonable; for the time being, it was independent of any perceived rational foundation – he simply and unequivocally believed! As he said, “Though He slay me, yet shall I hope in Him!” (Job 13:15 NIV). “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes — I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27 NIV).

It was his stubborn faith, his refusal to “curse God and die,” that brought him to the point of acceptance and restoration. As God helped him to focus, Job found a new sense of his own identity. He was brought to a new realization of how limited was his understanding of his understanding of the person and purposes of God. He was able to “see God” in a new, more satisfying way, and to submit himself to the Lord, not with resignation and defeat, but with new hope for a future bright with the promise of God.

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like