Job

This past week I decided to tackle reading the book of Job. I have to admit…it was a difficult book to read through and grasp at times. But through prayer that the Lord would teach me something I gleaned much from this book. The book of Job is the oldest book of the Bible, a book of poetry, and about a man named Job.

Job had a family and wealth. Most of all Job loved God. The question in this book is “Why do the godly suffer?” I know at times I have had set in my mind that I am a Christian and I shouldn’t have to go through hard times. But, the Lord has taught me otherwise that Christians will have trials and Christians will suffer. I know for a fact that if the Christian life were easy and we all did not have those hard times a Christian would not grow in the way he should. God gives hard times to His children so that we can learn to trust Him and grow to be more like Him everyday.

The Lord taught me that there will be  people in my life that will tell me to give up on God because of a trial I am going through. Job’s wife told her husband to “curse God and die.” What an encouragement she was (not really). When I see a friend in a hard time I should be an encouragement to them and point them to Christ during their hard time.

There are times that even Christians ask themselves and say to themselves, “Why do I suffer? Why was I even born.” Even Job a upright and godly man asked himself this. When he was in his misery he asked, “Why was I even born?”  I know throughout my life there has been times I have asked myself the same thing when I was discouraged. But, I look at it and think later on “God wants me to go through this time for a reason.” Here is a situation that happened back in the early spring that had me questioning God “why?”

My dad had cancer during my second year here in Florida. Through cancer treatments the Lord healed my father. I thought the cancer was behind him until my mom called me and told me that dad was going to have surgery again…later on we found out that the tumor they removed was cancer. I was devastated and have to admit asking God “why.” God really had to do a work in my heart and show me that this was for a reason. I am thankful that now today dad is cancer free. Although the situation was hard I look back and see God in the entire thing. The entire time Go was in control, there was no need to ask why….during the year my dad had cancer and when he was tested again were times that drew me closer to Him each day.

The author of Job continues to tell us that God chastens us for a reason. My life will actually be happier when I am corrected, but at the same time my job to do is to take that correction with the right attitude. I think of it as a teacher who has to discipline her students.

Through out the chapter Job has several friends that were trying to be an encouragement….but they really didn’t help him much. These friends were trying to tell Job the reason why he was going through this hard time. There will be friends in my life that will do that same tell me why this is happening instead of being that person that may need to be quiet at  the time…(I have learned that it is sometimes better to listen rather than talk when there is someone going through a hard time. Sometimes the only this that you can say is “I am praying for you.”)

Job’s reply to Biliad in 9:4 was one that really spoke to me. God will put hard things in my life. But if I harden my heart against God then I cannot learn from it. My heart should always be tender to what God has in store for me. During that hard time I need to trust God no matter what—through EVERYTHING (13:15). Again going back to the situation with my dad. I have to admit my heart was hard…..I went to church on Sunday upset and not really wanting to be there…THAT was the wrong attitude to have. All I remember is that I got nothing from the messages my pastor spoke because I was hardened. But, day by day as I prayed and looked to God the hardness was chiseled away and I was looking to see what God had in store. I have to admit this is hard to do….when a situation comes up unexpectedly I like all my “ducks in a row.”I am learning though that my ducks may not be lined up my way but they are always lined up God’s way.

In the end of the book God comes to Job and speaks to him. He asked him “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth…” God knew from the very beginning that this would happen to Job. God showed him that he is in control of everything in nature. God is in control of every little detail in my life.