RTW January 19

The Sovereignty of Suffering

He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!”
Job 1:21

 

 

My Takeaways

Something Old

The theme is not just “why does God allow suffering”, but rather “God is sovereign over all”; suffering and sorrow, as well as, comfort and cheer.

Sometimes suffering has very little to do with sin. Sometimes God permits suffering to refine our faith, shape our character, and demonstrate to the world His love and compassion.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:1-5

Because of Jesus

  • We have peace with God even if our circumstances are not peaceful.
  • We can rejoice when we run into problems.
  • We can be confident that our troubles will be purposeful.
  • We never have to be disappointed.

God dearly loves us, and would never abandon those He dearly loves.

Something New

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Something to do

Follow Job’s example, bless the Lord when troubles come. Trust that God is using my troubles to make me more like Him.

 

 

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13 Comments

  1. Something New:
    Eliphaz’s comments seem harsh and very unsymp5athetic considering all Job had been through. Eliphaz says that Job had encouraged many who faced difficulties, yet Elliphaz did not do that for Job.
    Something to Do:
    ~When tragedy strikes others, seek God’s wisdom on how to approach them. Sometimes there are no words or few words, but our presence can speak volumes.

  2. Today’s reading really helped me and gave me some good insight on suffering. This year I’ve had a handful of people I know, one a very close friend, who have lost loved ones tragically or due to illness at a young age. I’ve really wrestled with these things. One was a young mom who I would discribe much like job….a god fearing woman. Seeing God’s perspective on Jobs situation has helped me get my perspective right. Also seeing how job handled his loss opened my eyes to how to view loss and testing. I also noted that Jobs friends sat quietly before him at first. Sometimes the best way to help a grieving friend is to just sit with them and grieve with them and not try to fix it with my words. Overall, I saw that God is love…he has to allow whatever testing and suffering we face, he puts limits on it, he goes through it with us, it’s for our good to grow and refine us.

  3. Like Wendy, it is not with joyful anticipation that I once more open the book of Job. Particularly difficult is the fact that I am wrestling with heavy and hurtful and unjust circumstances right now. I want to see clearly what God has to say to me with those “fresh eyes”. Rather than try to write conclusions or opinions, I am going to simply name the verses that stood out to me, more in the form of personal questions. Finding their application for me, will most likely take a great deal of struggle and prayer and communication with God.

    ~Job 2:10, “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?”

    ~Job 2:13, “And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.”

    ~Job 4:18, “If God cannot trust his own angels and has charged some of them with folly, how much less will he trust those made of clay!”

    I look forward to reading others’ comments and observations. Especially those who have walked this way before and mined pure gold from their Job-Journey. Perhaps they have answered some of these very questions for themselves!

    1. I actually enjoy reading Job. Job is human with feelings & questions, just like I am. Job shows me that God will always be there for me. He listens to all Job’s questioning and “whining” yet never does he desert Job. He doesn’t strike Job down even further. He reminds Job of who He is and what He can do. He understands Job’s sorrow and in the end He blesses Job once again.
      How many times have I moaned, cried, been depressed because of something going on in my life? How often have I forgotten His blessings, focusing only on the current sorrow? If Jesus had to suffer by dying on a cross, then what makes me think that my life should be free of suffering?
      It doesn’t change my sorrow and pain when I go through something, but it does reassure me that God is indeed present and will not forsake me.
      I pray you will feel that constancy of God’s presence in what you’re going through.

  4. My husband loves the book of Job. He will point out that reading it answers questions about life. I’ve read it before and not had the same insight as my husband. I wonder what he is seeing or hearing from God. What stood out to me today were the questions Job’s friend asked him. (Verses 4:6 and 4:17). Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? Then, can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone be pure before the Creator? My take is all we do and have doesn’t compare to what God has or does.

  6. The one truth I pulled out from todays reading is that I have an enemy who does nothing but “roam about the earth and observe everything that’s going on” (Job 1:7; 2:2). I can’t forget that as much as Satin would love it if I did. If I don’t believe in Satan or evil’s existence then I am left open to subtle attacks, without even realizing it. God is so much more powerful than anything Satan can throw at me. A loving God who holds me in His hand and protects me with His power (1:10). I don’t want to be the person that is quick to abandon the Lord when life gets hard. Job is a tremendous example of faithfulness. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away,” says Job. I have to trust God in the good times and bad.
    Two songs I listened to today: “It is Well with my Soul” by Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss, and Casting Crowns song, “Praise You in this Storm”

  7. The reading today encouraged me in two ways: First, it made me want to remember to turn to God even in my darkest times. Second, it made me want to be a better friend when my friends are suffering. Eliphaz didn’t seem to be very sympathetic to Job. He reminded Job that he encouraged others when they were down, but then he didn’t do the same for Job!

  8. Wendy, yesterday I turned to today’s reading and made the same face you did–JOB! Oh no! But I love the fresh eyes approach, and what we can learn. Praise God, no matter what!

  9. As I go through the day today – I am made more aware that I am in my Job moment now. News received yesterday about the possibility that I may need shoulder surgery had me, for a moment, questioning God‘s goodness and faithfulness and my own faith in Healing. I didn’t connect with the reading this morning but as I’ve wrestled throughout the day with the consequences of surgery -Both physically on my body and also how it affects my new business as a health and fitness coach – I see, as usual, God‘s perfect timing in the reading.

    This surgery could be a true blessing in helping me to reevaluate and recalculate the way I’m approaching some things in my life. It’s an opportunity to see God‘s strength and my weakness.

  10. My two books of the bible I run to for the character of God is Job and Revelations. There are so many nuggets within them! When life is tough, I want the wisdom of God to be in the forefront, I find comfort, compassion and strength therein.
    Job’s friends did not know God’s heart about him! Instead of seeing Job as being the most righteous man among them, they saw him as the greatest sinner. How wrong they were! If only they had known the beginning of the book in “real time”!
    I choose not to run from but run to solutions, search out a matter as knowing brings wisdom.
    James 5:11 As you know, we count as blesses those who have preserved. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

  12. He (Jen) would purify his (her) children. He (Jen) would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering (prayers) for each of them. This was Job’s (Jen’s) regular practice.
    This reminds me and encourages me to follow Job’s example of standing in the gap for my children daily. Just as a few lessons ago, God reminded me to be in prayer daily for my husband, this verse speaks to the same importance of praying for my children daily.

    Why is Satan capatilized?

    He stood up with grief, then fell to the ground in worship. Can I worship in my grief?

    Job’s Wife urged him to curse God and die. Again, we see another wife with unwise or foolish advice for her husband.

    Job cursed the day if his birth, but not God.

    How often do I lose heart when troubles come? I hate to admit more times than not. However, when I’m in the word daily and remain in the Lord, I have a better chance at seeing things more clearly with God’s perspective. It’s when I fall away from what I know is good for me that I let my circumstances dictate my feelings. My reverence for God should give me confidence and hope in hard times.

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