Setbacks in our lives can take the joy out of living.

Our faith is weakened, and if we collect enough hurts it will stop us from wanting to press forward.

Look at Job.

A man whom the Bible calls blameless, upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil.

Job had seven sons and three daughters, a beautiful family.

He was considered “the greatest of all the men of the east.”

Yet he lost it all in 24 hours. He lost his health, wealth, and family. He was knocked down but not out.

He said: “I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful.”

How could he do that after undergoing so much hurt?

Along the shoreline in California, it is a common sight to see whales stopping alongside rocks as they migrate from Alaska to Mexico to scrape off barnacles.

In our lifetime, we also will pick up a collection of personal “barnacles” that will attach themselves like parasites sapping the life out of us. They must be scraped off.

So how did Job do it? The same way we can do it — through faith. Faith is the only thing that can heal the hurts. Job scraped the barnacles off.

It was painful! The scars would remain but his life was put back together. Strong belief in God was the medicine. His wife and his friends could not do it — only God could!

The Lord blessed the latter days of Job with greater blessings than his former years.

Job 42:12-13 tells us “…he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters.”

It was said of his new daughters that “in all the land no women were found so fair.” Job lived 140 years after the hurts and saw his sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, and great-great-grandsons.

Marigold Cheshier is another person who knows about facing crises in life.

In 1982 her son, Mike, went through a traumatic experience. He was only seven years old when, while playing with some friends, he was severely burned over the upper 30 percent of his body. He was burned not only on the outside, but also in his throat and lungs.

Then, in 1984, her daughter, Melissa, was beaten and left for dead by rapists at a roadside park in Louisiana. The doctors said she would never be able to marry because of the psychological trauma and never bear children because of the physical trauma.

And in 1985, Marigold herself was given 18 months to live because of cancer.

How did they deal with all of these crises?

The same way Job did — by faith in God.

Mike not only survived the burning, but God brought him from a death sentence to a preacher and power lifter, bench-pressing 450 lbs.!

Today Melissa is a children’s pastor, married to a wonderful husband, and the mother of twins — all due to the healing power of God!

And Marigold? God miraculously healed her of cancer! Today she is preaching the Gospel around the world and has completed 17 music recordings. She has made numerous TV appearances, including the 700 Club, TBN and many others.

If you are facing a crisis in your life, God can help you. Romans 2:11 states “For God does not show favoritism.” (NIV)

You too can move past your hurts, leave off your sad countenance, and be healed if you turn to God for strength

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.