My devotional time was interrupted this morning by a phone call. One of the young men in our Celebrate Recovery (CR) is having a most difficult time. He needed to process and vent. I had finished reading my Bible reading in Job by the time he called. Each day when I finish in this book I have to sort through my emotions. I have such a difficult time with these “friends” of Job. They don’t back off and amazingly, Job doesn’t give in to their accusations of him. As I listened to the caller this morning I found myself thinking similar thoughts which looked like Job’s friends. When the call ended we agreed we’d see each other tonight at CR.

As I began to pray over my prayer list I was praying for this young man and also bringing to God my own petitions for him. I was thinking I need to talk to him about praising God in the midst of the storm. Then it seemed God nudged me with the message–you praise Me. As I began to praise God I suddenly realized it was easy for me to Praise God–I know Him! This young man is very new to God. He is just now learning to pray and believe. So, I thanked God for already having a great plan in mind for this young man. The issues of the present are not abandoned by Him. I know He will use all of this to His Glory and I praise Him already for what He will do with it.

As I write this I am awakened that there were people praying such prayers as this for me so many years ago when I was in the midst of my own divorce. Today it is easy to see how tenderly, yet diligently, God was working. I will PRAISE God throughout today and each day for what He is doing even though I and my young friend cannot see it at this point in time. I would love for you to join me in praying for him.