Everyone wants to feel significant, wanted, admired, and appreciated. Nobody wants to feel worthless, devoid of value. That's certainly not how God views us.
Despite what the world may tell you, you've always had value. You did not wake up one day and suddenly become valuable to the Kingdom of God. You were born with value, born with worth, born with purpose. Yet life happens and we allow circumstances to appraise our usefulness.
Job, Satan's infamous punching bag, recounted a time in his life when everything was going well. In Job 29 he recalls that God was with him and young men and old admired him. Princes stood in silence in his presence and nobles honored him. Men listened to him and trusted in his counsel. He cared for the blind, poor, lame, needy, widow, and fatherless. He confronted the unrighteous and comforted those who mourned.
Job did everything right and then it all changed. Satan attacked his body, family, stuff, and stature. Now, everything he had used to affirm his value was gone and he was left alone with his thoughts and some questionable friend who also affirmed his righteousness based on his level of suffering.
"But now they laughed at me." - Job 30:1
But Job's value never changed, even though he was now laughed at, scorned, and rejected. His value was no different in his high moments as it was in his low moments. In fact, one could argue because of the impact the Book of Job has had on Christianity in debunking works-based prosperity theology, his suffering created greater value than he could ever have imagined, but all he could see was the present moment.
Those who will praise you one day will reject you the next. Those who think you are God's gift to their life may later curse you as a stumbling block. Because of this reality, some people begin to allow their value to lie dormant. Yet, as the saying goes, if the devil is not attacking you, you're likely doing something wrong.
Job was doing everything right and it invited the wrath of the enemy. Don't forget to follow the story through to the end. Don't forget to see how God restores. If you're going through fire right now, let it refine you. You'll never be less valuable than at your moment of inception, which means your value can only ever increase. The gold refined in fire becomes more valuable because its impurities have been removed.
As you begin to add value to others your value in the Kingdom increases. "Have you considered my servant Job?" God asked. I wonder if he'd say the same about me?
People may laugh and despise you because your circumstances have changed, even though you haven't. You are still the same person Jesus gave His life for, and just as the fortunes of Job, He is capable of restoring everything the enemy took from you. So let them laugh.
However, when the Lord restores you, don't forget to forgive.
"And the Lord restored the forturens of Job when he had prayed for his friends." - Job 42:10
Job weathered the crisis when all was literally lost and it's an encouragement to us all. He was admired, revered, and at peace once again. Now he was the one laughing, because he realized the Lord had been with him all along.
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