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 without these feelings of dread but instead to learn a few lessons.
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 that 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.
“In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.” (Job 1:22, NLT)
How amazing is that! 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 of Job has brought me to realize Job brings us an important lesson:
We must be faithful to God in the middle of our difficulties.
We will all have our moments like Job. It is in these very times that 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 these truths:
God loves me.
God is good.
The difficulties we experience throughout the course of our days will bring us to declare the same conclusion as it did Job:
“I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.”
(Job 42:5, NLT)
May we see Him in all the circumstances in our life, all of our days.
Today I am joining … #DreamTogether and Moments of Hope and Soul Survival and Inspire Me Monday .
Oh, you are so right about the two choices we have in the hard moments (in all our moments). I want to be one who confidently says God loves me and God is good in all my moments.
Becky, these two truths have been before me much of this summer. And yes, I want to be confident in saying each of these as well – in each and every moment.
Hi Joanne,
How I have missed stopping by here to visit you! And what a good reminder I just received!
We either believe it or we don’t. God loves us and God is good. Our feelings are indicators and we must guard against them infringing on truth.
I hope you have had a wonderful summer!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Our feelings can so deceive us and we truly must guard the truth in our hearts and minds. Our God does love us and all that He does is for our good. Thank you so much for encouraging me this morning, Lori!
The book of Job has become a favorite of mine. Whenever I question, I read Job 38 & 39. Do I love and trust God for who He is? Or only for what He does?
You have posed some very thought provoking questions! Something for me truly think deeply on.
Such deep truth in the book of Job. It’s coming up in my One Year Bible, and I learn something new each year.
I am always blessed (and amazed) when I learn and see something in a new light. May God bless you with fresh insight as you read Job this year!
We walk by faith and not by sight (feelings).
I, myself, have to be reminded constantly of the two truths: God loves me, God is good. Thanks for being today’s reminder!
As I read your comment, it hit me that we see more clearly when we walk by faith than when we walk by sight. The upside down Kingdom of God is always amazing!
I’m reading through Job for the second time with the First 5 App. I bought the study guide because I knew I would need to go deeper. I’m amazed at how Job’s trials, the way his wife and friends responded are so close to how current day many would in the same way. Really not much has changed over centuries.
But what has really struck me, is that when he heard of losing his children and his livestock his very first response was to fall on his face and PRAISE God! So convicting for me.
I love what you have shared, Alecia. Job’s first response always convicts me. I also love the fact that his trials brought him to the place of seeing and knowing God whereas before he had only heard about Him. God’s desire is for us to know Him. Amazing.
You speak truth here, Joanne. I have to remind myself of these things too:
“We decide not based on our feeling or what we hope but on these truths:
God loves me.
God is good.”
I’m grateful we can always return to these foundational truths when our minds/hearts are prone to wander.
Lisa, you brought to mind the foundational truth – “Jesus loves me, this I know!” Blessings!
I have discovered that all of my Job-like experiences have made me a better person (I didn’t enjoy them at the time, but I’m glad I went through those times).
Anita, I agree with you. I may not have enjoyed them but they surely served a deep purpose in my life.
Job is a tough book but I do find it encouraging during difficult life circumstances. He is a good model of how to trust God through trials.
Job shows us that it truly is possible to worship our God in the midst of any difficulties. Thank you for stopping and sharing!