The mere mention of the name Job can make me quake as I immediately think of suffering, and trials, and loss. Who wants that? So much better to think of pleasant opportunities and blessings.
Yet recently I found myself turning to the book of Job for encouragement.
Job-moments.
Those are the very moments when we find ourselves seemingly stripped of hope and life.
We are told that Job was a blameless man, full of integrity and he kept himself away from the evil of the society. He was wealthy by the standards of his day and raised his family in the ways of God.
If we are honest, most of us would feel that God should have blessed this good man and yet we find God gives permission for Satan to have a field day with Job. Satan can do whatever he wants to Job so long as he does not take his life.
Job loses his all of his his cattle, sheep and shepherds, camels and servants, and lastly his sons and daughters. In a relentless series of attacks, Job is left only with his wife and friends, who aren’t much help or comfort.
“Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”
(Job 1:22, NASB)
Job did not ask the questions which would have come to my mind, and off of my lips, faster than a jack rabbit …
- “Why?”
- “How could you allow this?”
- “If you really loved me, how could you be this mean to me?”
- “What did I do to deserve this?”
My reading brought me to realize the important lessons which Job brings to us:
We must be faithful to God in the middle of our difficulties.
When his wife’s response to all their loss was, “Curse God and die!”, Job responded:
“Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?”
(Job 2:10, NASB)
Perhaps we won’t experience the same losses as Job, but we all will face difficulties and pain at some points in our lives. It is in these very times we will have to make two important decisions for ourselves:
- Either God loves me or He doesn’t.
- Either God is good or He is not.
We decide not based on our feeling or what we hope but on two truths:
God loves me and
God is good.
Job’s losses and pain brought him to a most powerful conclusion:
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You.”
(Job 42:5, NASB)
May we see Him in all the circumstances in our life,
and in all of our days.
Reflection:
What has reflecting on Job’s life taught you over the course of your own life?
Image by Tanja Schulte from Pixabay
Great post Joanne, it is sometimes difficult in the middle. You know you are in a valley, but the hilltop is not in sight, but you know its there. We have to be faithful there too!
ReplyDeleteGod bless, Tracy
It can be hardest in the middle as we don't see the end. But God is faithful and we need to remain faithful and steadfast as well. He will see us through, Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, Tracy!
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