Unwavering Faith
I don’t ever remember REALLY studying the book of Job before — really taking the time to analyze why God would have ever let him suffer like he did.
Our Lamplighters’ class is in the middle of studying Job’s life – the good man that he was, the beautiful family and wealth that belonged to him. BUT then God and Satan had a little pow wow.
Satan had the audacity to put God to the test, along with Job. Everything seemed so perfect for Job. The Bible tells us that Job was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had a beautiful family, abundant livestock, countless servants, and a reputation as the greatest man among all the people of the East.
But then, a conversation took place in the heavenly realm that would change everything. Satan appeared before God, questioning the sincerity of Job’s faith. “Of course he worships you,” Satan implied. “You’ve blessed him beyond measure. Take it all away, and he’ll curse you to your face.” Surprisingly, God allowed Satan to test Job, confident in Job’s integrity.
What followed was unimaginable. Job lost his wealth, his children, his health. His friends showed up, not to comfort him, but to accuse him, convinced that Job’s suffering must be due to some hidden sin. Job’s wife even suggested he curse God and die. But Job declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15)
Job openly expressed his pain to God. I’ve had those conversations with God — when I’ve experienced pain and loss — I told Him exactly how I felt. That’s what we should do when we don’t understand all that is going on in our lives.
THEN — restoration came. God blessed Job abundantly — restoring his health, giving him twice as much as he had before — including more children! Wow! Double for his trouble!
Job’s story isn’t just one of loss; it’s one of redemption. It’s a story that reminds us that even when life feels unbearably hard, God is still at work, faithful to restore and redeem.
Telling God how we feel is okay! We can say, “I’m mad. I’m upset. I’m frustrated.” God can handle our complaints, questions, fear, and grief. God’s love for us is bigger than all our emotions.
When life hurts — we don’t have to grin and bear it. Instead, we go to our Heavenly Father with our pain. “Get up, cry out in the night, even as the night begins. Pour out your heart like water in prayer to the Lord.” (Lamentations 2:19)
God turned it all around for Job AND He will for you and me. He makes “old things pass away and all things become new again”! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
That’s our God! In the meantime – we trust, we believe, and we let God have His way! He’s the ultimate restorer!