E-MESS: I lost everything

Wally: I am unemployed, lost the house, used up the retirement fund, and am about to exhaust all savings. I hear the segments about God knowing what your going through and I hear it in the songs and to be perfectly honest I find no comfort it in. Knowing He is with me doesn't or hasn't to date alleviated the feelings of failure and guilt that I have for letting my family down. It’s crushing at times and knowing that God is with me doesn't make it easier. I know He loves in a way I don't fully understand but if I am completely honest during the bad times I think he is punishing me. I know its not the case rationally anyway, but emotionally is a different story. So the easy part: what am I missing? In a 140 words or less please. My attention span is completely twitterized now. :) Thanks

First off I am sorry you are in such a tough spot right now. These things do not last forever even though they feel like they will. I have been down to my last dime before and wondered where is the peace of God I had always heard about while I couldn't sleep so I get what you are saying. For me it wasn't till after things settled down that I was able to see God’s hand and his provision in my life. At the time I was too consumed with the daily problems to see it but later it was obvious he did provide for me and my family. It looked nothing like I thought it should so I almost didn't recognize it, but in the end loosing all that stuff did me good. I found a new and different relationship with God that now is built on trust and I am better at being able to thank God for things that I have like my family even when everything else is falling apart. A friend of mine lost everything like Job did in the Bible and he kept a journal. His reason was so when he looked back he would remember God's faithfulness in the bad times that he otherwise would have missed. Sometimes there is a tendency to think what is God doing to me when in fact He may be trying to do something through you that might be for someone else. We have a choice in bad times to point people to God or away from him. I have come to realize when I don't think I can go on anymore and I do, that is God and I want to point people to him. I hope that helps a little Later