I must admit, I have always felt uncomfortable reading the book of Job. What is it that made me squirm? It isn't the cosmic battle going on in the heavenlies over Job's faith (Job 1-2). That is actually somewhat comforting to me - to think that there is more going on than meets the eye when pain and difficulties crash over you like a tidal wave. It isn't Job's initial response to the calamities that befell him (Job 1:20-22; Job 2:10). As a Christian, I aspire to face such penetrating pain and loss with a 'first response' of falling at the feet of God, weeping and worshipping.
What a powerful testimony and one I actually witnessed firsthand the day my friends lost their 17 year old son who was crushed under a two ton boulder in a "fluke" accident. I watched these dear christian friends standing at the foot of the mountain waiting for the paramedics to bring their son down, weeping and worshipping, and affirming that their God is the God of boulders. In like manner, after losing all of his possessions to marauders, losing his servants to the sword, experiencing the cataclysmic loss of his seven children in the rubble of a collapsed house, we read this about Job, 'Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.'
As much as the opening chapters of Job stop my breath short with the searing pain of rapid fire calamity and the raw but rare response of Job, it's the chapters that follow that made me squirm - the painful expressions of Job - especially regarding his view of God - and the confusing give and take between Job and his three "friends." Why would God allow Job to express in the permanent record of His eternal word such laments as: "For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison my spirit drinks; the terrors of God are arrayed against me... If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice. For He bruises me with a tempest and multiplies wounds without cause" (Job 6:4; 9:16-17). If you are a Christian, how calmly poised are you now as you read those words? Any squirming going on?
Could it be that our perfect heavenly Father understands something we are apt to forget or perhaps never consider, especially when we are watching from afar the suffering of others: that there is a difference between feelings of despair and cursing God? Job in his frailty and limited understanding didn't know about the cosmic battle in the heavenlies proving that saving faith, his faith, could not be destroyed. However, in the midst of his intense suffering, the Lord allowed Job full expression to his despair. The Lord of glory recorded Job's thoughts and words for eternity, uncensored. We know that ultimately God did not leave Job in that place of despair, and - even before restoring Job's health and family - He instructed him as to God's impeccable nature and character - Job 38-41. But at the end of the day, God reveals to us through Job that words expressed from a despairing heart reflect the emotions of a Christian and not the essence of that Christian.
Are you the friend of someone who is suffering? Ask yourself, 'Have I ever felt the level of despair described by Job?' If not, be careful with your words. Learn the lesson of Job's friends who started well, but in the end inflicted deep emotional wounds. They came it says, "to sympathize with him and comfort him... they raised their voices and wept... They sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great" (Job 2:11-13). So far so good, but because they did not understand what God Himself reveals through the life of Job (first and foremost that saving faith cannot be destroyed and secondly that feelings of despair in the heart of a Christian do not reflect their core but rather their emotions at a given point in time and must therefore be met with compassion), they went on through misguided words to add to Job's misery. May we never be "friends" of this sort. May God never say of us what He said to Job's friends, "My wrath is kindled against you... because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has" (Job 42:7). May we always strive to have gentle words on our lips in the presence of pain.
Are you suffering, dear Christian? Have you felt the despondency of Job? Then come. You have a safe place in the arms of your heavenly Father where you may pour out your heart, uncensored. You have the company of your dear Savior who Himself understands experientially the deep anguish of your soul. Allow God to reveal to you that He is not only sovereign, but the God whose very nature is Love. Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever, you will be able to assert what Job in his heart of hearts knew, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another... He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 19:25-27; 23:10).
What a powerful testimony and one I actually witnessed firsthand the day my friends lost their 17 year old son who was crushed under a two ton boulder in a "fluke" accident. I watched these dear christian friends standing at the foot of the mountain waiting for the paramedics to bring their son down, weeping and worshipping, and affirming that their God is the God of boulders. In like manner, after losing all of his possessions to marauders, losing his servants to the sword, experiencing the cataclysmic loss of his seven children in the rubble of a collapsed house, we read this about Job, 'Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.'
As much as the opening chapters of Job stop my breath short with the searing pain of rapid fire calamity and the raw but rare response of Job, it's the chapters that follow that made me squirm - the painful expressions of Job - especially regarding his view of God - and the confusing give and take between Job and his three "friends." Why would God allow Job to express in the permanent record of His eternal word such laments as: "For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison my spirit drinks; the terrors of God are arrayed against me... If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice. For He bruises me with a tempest and multiplies wounds without cause" (Job 6:4; 9:16-17). If you are a Christian, how calmly poised are you now as you read those words? Any squirming going on?
Could it be that our perfect heavenly Father understands something we are apt to forget or perhaps never consider, especially when we are watching from afar the suffering of others: that there is a difference between feelings of despair and cursing God? Job in his frailty and limited understanding didn't know about the cosmic battle in the heavenlies proving that saving faith, his faith, could not be destroyed. However, in the midst of his intense suffering, the Lord allowed Job full expression to his despair. The Lord of glory recorded Job's thoughts and words for eternity, uncensored. We know that ultimately God did not leave Job in that place of despair, and - even before restoring Job's health and family - He instructed him as to God's impeccable nature and character - Job 38-41. But at the end of the day, God reveals to us through Job that words expressed from a despairing heart reflect the emotions of a Christian and not the essence of that Christian.
Are you the friend of someone who is suffering? Ask yourself, 'Have I ever felt the level of despair described by Job?' If not, be careful with your words. Learn the lesson of Job's friends who started well, but in the end inflicted deep emotional wounds. They came it says, "to sympathize with him and comfort him... they raised their voices and wept... They sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great" (Job 2:11-13). So far so good, but because they did not understand what God Himself reveals through the life of Job (first and foremost that saving faith cannot be destroyed and secondly that feelings of despair in the heart of a Christian do not reflect their core but rather their emotions at a given point in time and must therefore be met with compassion), they went on through misguided words to add to Job's misery. May we never be "friends" of this sort. May God never say of us what He said to Job's friends, "My wrath is kindled against you... because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has" (Job 42:7). May we always strive to have gentle words on our lips in the presence of pain.
Are you suffering, dear Christian? Have you felt the despondency of Job? Then come. You have a safe place in the arms of your heavenly Father where you may pour out your heart, uncensored. You have the company of your dear Savior who Himself understands experientially the deep anguish of your soul. Allow God to reveal to you that He is not only sovereign, but the God whose very nature is Love. Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever, you will be able to assert what Job in his heart of hearts knew, "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another... He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 19:25-27; 23:10).
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