When Life Takes Away
Have you ever sung Matt Redman's song "Blessed Be Your Name"?
For years, I sang it on every worship team I was part of. The melody was familiar, and the lyrics flowed naturally. But there was one part I often sang without really stopping to consider its depth:
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say,
"Lord, blessed be Your Name."
Those words come directly from Job 1:21.
Job had just experienced unimaginable loss. In what seemed like a single day, he lost his livestock, his servants, and—most devastating of all—his children. Everything that represented security, success, and joy was suddenly gone.
Yet instead of turning away from God, Job responded with these remarkable words:
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)
Job didn't pretend everything was okay. He grieved. He mourned. He fell to the ground. But then he worshiped.
That is what makes this passage so powerful.
We all have seasons of life. The light seasons are wonderful. They are filled with joy, celebration, and answered prayers. Then there are the dark seasons—the ones that seem as though they will never end.
I imagine Job felt that way.
To be honest, I feel that way right now.
Yet somehow, in the middle of the darkness, God lets a small trickle of light break through. It may not answer every question or remove every hurt, but it reminds us that He is still present. Even when He allows things to be taken away, He never leaves us. He is still working, even when we cannot see what He is doing.
Job understood something many of us struggle to remember: every blessing we have is a gift from God. While we may never understand every hardship this side of heaven, we can trust that God is still at work. He is able to bring new purpose, renewed hope, and deeper faith through seasons we never would have chosen.
The bridge of that song isn't about denying heartache. It's about making a choice in the middle of it.
"My heart will choose to say..."
Sometimes worship isn't based on our circumstances. Sometimes it is simply a decision to trust God when nothing around us makes sense.
The next time you sing those familiar lyrics, don't rush past them. Let them become your prayer:
"My heart will choose to say, 'Lord, blessed be Your Name.'"
If you're walking through a dark season today, don't give up. The same God who was with Job is with you. Hold on to the little rays of light He provides, keep trusting Him one day at a time, and remember that your story isn't finished yet. God is still writing it.
And remember this: a dark season is often God's preparation ground for some of the greatest ministry you will ever be a part of. The comfort you receive today may become the comfort you offer someone else tomorrow. The wounds God heals often become the places from which He allows us to love, encourage, and serve others in ways we never could have before.
So keep choosing to trust Him. Keep choosing to worship. One day you may look back and realize that the season you thought would break you was actually the season God used to prepare you for a purpose far greater than you could have imagined.
We are better together,
Sandy
