Have you ever looked at some one else's life, maybe a co-worker, a family member, or even a neighbor, and convinced yourself that their "grass" is greener than yours? You witness God's blessings on their life, marriage, family, and job, all the while wishing you could have the same favor. Personally I can't help but think that many people looked at Job and they had the same thoughts.
I mean Job had it all. The large family, comfortable lifestyle, fat bank account, and respect of all in his community. In the very first verse of Job we learn so much about who he is and the character that Job possesses.
"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil." Job 1:1 ESV
Job was blessed because his heart was in the right place. His life was totally focused on God. He was a man known for his character and his passion for God. A passion that was even more fervent when no one was looking.
Most of you have heard the story of Job and the long suffering that he had to endure. As the story goes, Satan was at the throne of God and God points out the character of Job. It is incredible to read how God pointed out this man and yet sad to hear true commitment to God was so rare. Satan comes right back at God and says that of course Job is upright because he had never had to suffer. So God allows Satan to test the metal of His servant Job. He doesn't do it out of a twisted sense of enjoyment, God does this to prove to Satan that Job is committed to God, up to the point of death. Once God gives him the all clear, Satan goes to work on Job. He takes away everything that Job owns. He kills his children. All of this should have pushed Job to the edge of sanity and caused him to curse God but Job holds fast to his faith and his trust in God even in what had to be the darkest time in his life. But it didn't stop there. Satan decides to attack Job's health next. He covers him in painful boils and sores all over his body. And at one point Job uses a broken clay pot to scrape the sores on his body. (Makes my stomach turn even thinking of it.)
Job would be in this dark and lonely place for a while and the people in his life would try to discourage him along the way. His wife tells him to curse God and die. His friends tell him that he must have some hidden sin that God is punishing him for but Job continues to hold fast to God with all the strength that he has. I can tell you that I don't know that I could have been that strong. I have been through many trials in my life and I can't honestly say that I have been even a tenth as strong in my faith as Job.
Job eventually has a breaking point in which He calls out to God, asking for an opportunity to plead his case because he feels that he is being dealt with unfairly by God. God comes right back at Job and reminds him that Job isn't equal with God and he can't begin to comprehend all that God has done on Job's behalf. This causes Job to realize his sin and brings about repentance within Job.
“Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:1-6 ESV
I don't have all the answers. Neither do you. We aren't meant to. I will get through the seasons in my life and experience a multitude of situations that I won't understand when my total faith in God is required. It is when my understanding runs out that my faith makes its greatest appearance. It is when I take what I know about God - that He is always good, that He has a bigger plan, that He loves me - and I rest in that knowledge. It doesn't mean that things in my life will immediately get better, but it will carry me through the trial that I am facing. And God will do the same for you.
Job was upright and passionate about God but he still had so much more to learn. So do I. So do you. We have more to learn and more intimacy with God that we have yet to experience. Job found God through the storm in his life. So have I. So will you. Out of the storm, God will bless us more that ever before.
I mean Job had it all. The large family, comfortable lifestyle, fat bank account, and respect of all in his community. In the very first verse of Job we learn so much about who he is and the character that Job possesses.
"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil." Job 1:1 ESV
Job was blessed because his heart was in the right place. His life was totally focused on God. He was a man known for his character and his passion for God. A passion that was even more fervent when no one was looking.
Most of you have heard the story of Job and the long suffering that he had to endure. As the story goes, Satan was at the throne of God and God points out the character of Job. It is incredible to read how God pointed out this man and yet sad to hear true commitment to God was so rare. Satan comes right back at God and says that of course Job is upright because he had never had to suffer. So God allows Satan to test the metal of His servant Job. He doesn't do it out of a twisted sense of enjoyment, God does this to prove to Satan that Job is committed to God, up to the point of death. Once God gives him the all clear, Satan goes to work on Job. He takes away everything that Job owns. He kills his children. All of this should have pushed Job to the edge of sanity and caused him to curse God but Job holds fast to his faith and his trust in God even in what had to be the darkest time in his life. But it didn't stop there. Satan decides to attack Job's health next. He covers him in painful boils and sores all over his body. And at one point Job uses a broken clay pot to scrape the sores on his body. (Makes my stomach turn even thinking of it.)
Job would be in this dark and lonely place for a while and the people in his life would try to discourage him along the way. His wife tells him to curse God and die. His friends tell him that he must have some hidden sin that God is punishing him for but Job continues to hold fast to God with all the strength that he has. I can tell you that I don't know that I could have been that strong. I have been through many trials in my life and I can't honestly say that I have been even a tenth as strong in my faith as Job.
Job eventually has a breaking point in which He calls out to God, asking for an opportunity to plead his case because he feels that he is being dealt with unfairly by God. God comes right back at Job and reminds him that Job isn't equal with God and he can't begin to comprehend all that God has done on Job's behalf. This causes Job to realize his sin and brings about repentance within Job.
“Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:1-6 ESV
I don't have all the answers. Neither do you. We aren't meant to. I will get through the seasons in my life and experience a multitude of situations that I won't understand when my total faith in God is required. It is when my understanding runs out that my faith makes its greatest appearance. It is when I take what I know about God - that He is always good, that He has a bigger plan, that He loves me - and I rest in that knowledge. It doesn't mean that things in my life will immediately get better, but it will carry me through the trial that I am facing. And God will do the same for you.
Job was upright and passionate about God but he still had so much more to learn. So do I. So do you. We have more to learn and more intimacy with God that we have yet to experience. Job found God through the storm in his life. So have I. So will you. Out of the storm, God will bless us more that ever before.
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