Devotion:
For an audio version of this devotion, click here.
Read Job 2:7-10.
This passage sets the stage for what is to come. Job, a righteous man, had lost his herds and flocks, his property, and even his children. Now, Job has been afflicted with painful sores all over his body. In this passage, Job’s wife encourages him to curse God and die in order to be free of his pain. Later Job’s friends would come, as so many of us do, to offer less than helpful advice and counsel. At times, Job’s friends would even be accusatory, as they were convinced that Job had sinned and brought his troubles upon himself. Job maintained his faith, but he questioned God really hard.
I smile when I hear people say that someone has the “patience of Job.” If we read Job’s conversations with his friends and his exchanges with God, we see that he was not at all patient! He was faithful, he was long-suffering, and he was forbearing; but he was not patient! He knew that he had not sinned to bring on these troubles, he did not understand how such bad things could happen to a good person, and he demanded answers from God. Not once, however, did he question God’s existence or show any weakness in his faith. Through it all, he maintained his relationship with God.
Personal Worship Option:
If you are going through a difficult time, resist the feeling that God is punishing you. God will be with you in this, and you may need your relationship with God now more than ever. Take a lesson from Job and keep the faith!
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