The Patience of Job

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” Job 13:15a (NKJV) Job was a good man. Even God thought he was a good man. The Bible says Job was blameless and upright. Satan said Job was only faithful because God had blessed him, then God allowed Satan to curse Job. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Job’s 10 children were killed and all his animals died or were stolen. He was covered with sores, his wife nagged him without mercy and told him to curse God and die. His friends turned against him. In the end, Job was faithful and God healed him, gave him 10 children, doubled his wealth to 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 donkeys. Job’s wife was never mentioned again, but people have thought God gave him a new wife. He lived an additional 140 years. I think sometimes Christians can find it easy to believe in God when things are going our way, and though our lives might not be easy, we are “comfortable.” If things go wrong, we may feel God is punishing us. If we are ill, if our car breaks down, if we lose our jobs, if our marriage fails, we may question God. Why are You punishing me? What did I do wrong? Why don’t You love me? Sometimes life is hard and seems unfair. We may find ourselves confusing God with Santa Claus. If we were good all year, we expect gifts, good health, a happy family, blessings, and prosperity. However, God is not Santa Claus. Lord, let me learn that “life happens.” It rains on the just and the unjust, and everything that happens to us is not a reward or a punishment. May our prayer, like Job, be, “Though he slay me, yet I will trust him.” — Crying Wind   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org