Episode 2786 - Lesson 11 - Tuesday June 09 - Job

JobWhen we think of setbacks in the Bible, Job is perhaps the person who first comes to mind. Not only did he lose all his wealth (Job 1:14-17), but he also lost his children (Job 1:18-19) and his health (Job 2:7). His wife then tried to convince him to curse God and die (Job 2:9).After some time, three friends came to sit with Job. They were so shocked at his appearance that they sat with him, speechless, for seven days (Job 2:13). Eventually, when they spoke, they tried to offer human reasons for why such misfortune had come to Job, but in doing so, they unintentionally increased his suffering. Three friends blamed him, saying he must have some hidden sin in his life to repent of (Job 8, 11, 15), even saying, “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him who does not know God” (Job 18:21, NKJV).How did Job respond? Read Job 19:23-27 and Job 23:8-12.No matter the tragic events that surrounded him, and the fact that he didn’t understand them, Job remained faithful. He held fast. He didn’t blame God or curse Him. Instead, when tempted to blame God, he declared: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21, NKJV).We, too, live in the middle of this same battle. Satan afflicts us with pain, suffering, loss, and hardship as part of his plan to distort our picture of a loving God. In such time, we can respond in one of two ways: blame and reject God or cling to Him with all our might. Although the battle rages around us, we must remember that, in light of eternity, our momentary troubles are but temporary trials (2 Cor. 4:16-18). There is so much more to the picture than what we see here and now, and one of the great challenges for a believer is to trust God even in the darkest times. God has, in many ways, revealed to us the reality of His love. We must cling to this crucial truth--that of God’s love--even when we might not at the moment sense it.If you are in the middle of a difficult time right now, run to God. Take your Bible and a notebook and be with God outside in nature. Copy down Romans 5:3-5 and reflect on the different messages in this passage, believing that God’s love and care for you is the surest and most stable factor in your life.