From Job: Praise God Through Your Suffering

 I recently finished reading the book of Job.  These ideas came to me as I read the scripture and the commentary on it. 

Job suffered terribly after God allowed Satan to hurt him.  He was in terrible anguish, not only from his physical pain but also from losing his children and all his possessions.  Job was a righteous and Godly man.  He was in general without sin. When he was hurting though he cried out to God and complained against God.

In Job 36 we read of a speech given by Ehihu.  He had some valid points against Job for complaining. Ehihu said God does at times use suffering to chasten and bring repentance.  BUT God also uses suffering to open men's ears and to call men to himself. Because Job kept complaining as he suffered, he was sinning rather than drawing nearer and nearer to God during his suffering. Job should not have been complaining but rather he needed to see God in his suffering and worship him. 

At the end of Job in chapter 40, Job said "I am guilty!" He knew he was in trouble for finding fault with God. He had been insisting that God give him an explanation for what was going on in his life. My Bible commentary said Job should not have thought God unjust and he should not have insisted on his own understanding. It said 'Job needed to admit his weakness, inferiority, and ability to even try to figure out God's infinite mind.  God's wisdom was so superior, his sovereign control of everything so complete, that this was all Job needed to know. '  The commentary also said, "The great lesson of Job was: Trust sovereign God when you can't understand why things go badly in life."

This is a reminder for me and you to examine ourselves when we are suffering.

Is this suffering because of sin in our lives? Then we'd best repent and turn from our wicked ways.

Is God using the suffering to draw us closer to Him? If this is the case, may we trust in His grace, see God while we are suffering, and worship Him! 

I know this is easier said than done but may we with all our might worship and glorify our Lord and Savior at all times! Amen!