Sometimes we experience painful, unpleasant, even tragic things and we don’t understand why God allows them to come our way! Ever struggle with that? Job, in the Bible was in that position! My Bible reading today during “coffee with the Lord” included a passage where Job struggled with that very issue – Job 19!
His “friends” had been unfair in their accusations and attempted “explanations” regarding Job’s circumstances! They were no help at all!
Job had not been privy to the conversation that God had with Satan, Job’s adversary and accuser, in which God told Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (check out Job 1:8-12 and 2:3-7) The Lord, expressed confidence in Job, allowing Satan to test him… The loss, pain and suffering that Job experienced then, actually came from Satan, not God!
But Job did not understand! In Job 19, he mistakenly said, “Know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed His net about me! Behold I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered; I call for help, but there is no justice!” Job mistakenly believed his suffering had come from God! In the verses that follow he utters this repeated refrain… “He (God) has…” (Check out verses 6-13)
Job’s suffering didn’t stop there: He went on to give this painful and tragic analysis… “My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me! … My intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I love have turned against me! … Have mercy on me! Have mercy on me, O you my friends for the hand of God has touched me!” (verses 14, 19 and 21)
No Job! God has not done this to you! It is Satan and the failures of judgmental “friends” lacking compassion!
But in this chapter Job clings to this hope, even if his suffering were to end in death: “I know my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth! After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not another!” (verses 25-27)
Perhaps you identify with Job! You’ve gone through excruciating experiences that have tested your faith! You’ve questioned! You’ve struggled! You don’t know why God allowed your injustice and suffering! You’ve even been tempted to become bitter and doubt God’s goodness! DON’T!!! Affirm your faith and confidence in the ultimate goodness and faithfulness of God! The end of Job’s story had not been written (check out Job 42!) and neither has yours (check out Romans 8:28, 31-39)!
Coffee With The Lord 