Suffering with Job

I am blown away to read how Job, after losing not only his wealth but also his family in one fell swoop, then with his body ravaged by horrific illness and painful oozing sores with friends berating him, clings to his sure hope in God, for his Living Redeemer. A true inspiration, indeed!

Job 19:25-27 - New Living Translation

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!

Have you ever, when going through a health crisis or other personal crisis, had well-meaning friends decide to pray over you for forgiveness of your sin? Job's friends weren't even THAT good! They were more concerned about building up themselves than lifting up their brother in faith.

I’ve been there, had someone decide that my difficult post-op healing and even the need for the emergency surgery were due to my sin.  Seriously?   But if I am honest with myself and others, I've also been that person that was far from the encourager.   This will really make me think twice when I am tempted to place a judgment, even if only in my mind, on another believer’s life situation.  We have no idea what spiritual warfare is going on, what is transpiring in the heavenly realms.  Job was chosen for suffering, and he brought God glory.  Look at how all these thousands of years later believers still draw encouragement from how he drew upon his faith.  

Be a Job.  If God doesn’t call you to suffer, be a much better friend to someone whom God DOES call to suffer.  Encourage and prop them up when they are down.  That very person is as one that is talked about in Hebrews 11, referenced in Hebrews 12:1-2:

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Go back to Hebrews 11 and read about the great cloud of witnesses, those great men of faith of pressed on through difficult circumstances.  They had no idea that people throughout the ages would draw strength from their words and actions.  

Be a Job. or be a friend to a Job.