Job 1-10

What did I learn about God? What is my take away?

Just reading these words of Job and his ignorant friends with all their cliche quips for Job in the midst of his immense suffering, makes me realize how unfathomably patient the Lord is with us. I wonder how many times I have life framed incorrectly like Job or how often I need to shut my mouth because I have no clue what I am really speaking about.

We see in the opening scene that God is allowing Satan to torment Job, but God is still ultimately in charge and limiting Satan’s power. Job thinks God is doing all these terrible things to him, but that isn’t the case. God is allowing them. The concepts of why the innocent suffer, and why God allows evil can be paralyzing. I had several conversations with people this summer that were stuck here, longing to come to some sort of rational understanding. I am curious what we discover by the end of the book of Job.

I value the raw nature of Job’s word. I see myself in Job in chapter 9 where he goes from affirming the Lord’s sovereignty and ultimate wisdom in the midst of his suffering, to his low point in verse 21 of the same chapter accusing God of mocking ‘the despair of the innocent.’ In the chapter 10 he says God smiles on ‘the schemes of the wicked.’ When life gets hard I often find myself on a rollercoaster such as this one. My faith comes in waves.

God is so patient with Job. Job revealed his thoughts on God’s heart and the way He works in following:

But this is what you concealed in your heart,
and I know that this was in your mind:
If I sinned, you would be watching me
and would not let my offense go unpunished.
If I am guilty—woe to me!
Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,
for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction.
If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion
and again display your awesome pwer against me.
You bring new witnesses against me
and increase your anger toward me;
your forces come against me wave upon wave (Job 10:13-17).

My heart hurts for Job! The narrative he is playing in his head about his situation is not true and it is leading to incorrect beliefs about the Lord. Job has said and is going to continue to say many offensive things to the Lord and yet the Lord is silent and appears patient with Job.

Lord please reveal to me where the story I am telling myself about you, others, or my circumstances isn’t true. Thank you for your patience as I continue to stumble towards you. Lord please help me to stop and be still in your presence when life gets hard and I am tempted to jump on the faith roller coaster. I long to be steady. I believe, help me with my disbelief.