I have read the book of Job several times, but this time around I was struck about my ability to understand and to also compare it with everyday life. As human beings we might experience something similar to the Job experience where everything was well, but all of a sudden things started going downward. You may loose your job, and in return find yourself in a crumbling family which could lead to separation or divorce. Your once innocent, smart, and respectful child might start rebelling. The trail might not be your job, but your health, a court case that you cannot see anyway out. Everything starts to look a whole lot different. You will have everyone giving you advice or trying to diagnose your situation. Then we start asking ourselves when will this nightmare be over.
One thing that caught my attention is how long the book of Job is; the many chapters it comes with. The Book of Job has 42 chapters. In it is different people interrogating him about how he has lived his life and in addition, diagnosing why he was in such predicament.
I started wondering, 42 chapters? I wonder how many months or years Job might have gone through this trial. It could have taken him a year or two to sit at one place in misery. He saw people who he used to mingle or dine with, now looking down on him. In Job 20: 7 - 17 he discussed how he was always welcomed every where he went; ("and the aged arose and stood; the princes refrained from talking and put their hand on their month [Job 20:8-9]; and when the eye saw me it approved me" (verse 11). Which is true to some of us at some point, we may be enjoying all the recognition at work, school, church or at home. We may find ourselves being celebrated on most occasion. But there might come a time where you will turn to left or right and will not see all those people who celebrated your success anywhere.
His very own wife, whom he had both toiled and enjoyed life with, is now advising him to curse God because the life she is used to enjoying is no more. You and I know that these things happens all the time in our every day lives. How our loved ones may turn their back on us because of life obstacles. Some of them might even put pressure on us in taking some drastic decision that ends up hurting us either financially or tarnishing of our image. We have all being in situation where by our significant other might even threat you with divorce or separation because you lost a job, got sick or lost of a child. Life can sometimes take a drastic turn for the worse that, if one is not careful their integrity might be compromised all to save face in pleasing man, instead of God. Yes, there are many scriptures that tells us to wait on the lord (Psalm 27:14) or says in all things give thanks to God (1 Thessalonians 5:18) or the Lord gives and takes away (Job 1:21). We can quote the bible from head to toe, but in all sincerity, when things get tough, and all the people you have being there for, counted on to support, to encourage, all that your human mind thought will be available in your time of need, like your health, family, friends, finance, peace of mind are all no where to be found. You might lose heart, losing faith in the Lord and his promises which he promises that He order the steps of the righteous (Psalm 37:23) or He is the retorter all that you have lost in your trials (Joel 2:25). We even tend to forget whom we believe, because at that every moment our judgements are clouded by hurt, frustration, mistrust, and so many negative emotions.
When life get difficult most people will turn their back on you. They might not do it intentionally, but at that moment in life you have nothing to offer them. Do you think, a prominent man like Job had only three friends? I believe not, far from that. Job himself said "men listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. After my words they did not speak again and my speech settled on them as dew. They waited for me as for the rain,....I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; so I dwelt as a king in the army" (Job 29: 21 - 25). The question is where was those people when he was going through those hard and trying times?
But thanks be to God who has placed some major pillars in our life, some people who are indeed true friends, who when in crisis they might have the most comforting things to say to you, you know they are a phone call away. They themselves will force to be around you because they know that the crisis demand their attention. And Job had those three friends, they might not have the most comforting thing to say at all times, but you can be rest assured that they are there to comfort you. :)
I myself in these past years have found myself in a deep hole where I seem not to see my way out. I have found myself crying at night to put myself to sleep. I have prayed to God in hope of getting deliverance from my situation. I have being unemployed for almost two years. Being unemployed has made me felt some crazy dryness all around me. I pray and as my hope in God intensify, all of a sudden, a negative news like creditors calling you, or not being able to make rent on time causes you to fall and crumple all over again. But I can tell you this, I thought my situation was taking too long to hear from God. And that God has forgotten about me. I felt like I was trap in some dungeon that there is no escape until God decides to take me out. Last year around September 18th 2013, I went to church with the hope and faith in God that I was going to hear a message from Him concerning my situation. That particular day was very different from any regular service we normally have at my church. I was called and prophesied unto, and truth be told, the message got me more confused. I felt as if God was telling me I am the cause of my own trails. I felt like for over a year of praying to God for a job after my Masters, he waited that long to tell me that? I felt so crushed and betrayed by God. With a regretful heart now, I remember crying and somehow cursing at God because I just could not take it any more. I felt that, that same God who have sustained me in my years of studies, granted me scholarships to study overseas and all is now not available to help me utilize my education. I felt that if He knew he was not going to give me a job why did He make me waist all that money and time in pursuing my Masters degree and now I have no money to even pay those loans. I was so hurt to the extent that I was choked with words. I had so much to say but most of them were stuck within me causing more pain within me.
It was not until I read the book of Job where God started ministering to me and causing me to ask all these question in the life of Job, causing me to compare Job to mine situation. I then found out that, my life is way better, and from the reading of Job my almost two years of unemployment is a little time compared to what I believe Job timeline of suffering might have been.
Beloved, I kid you not, that when you are put through a test it is not easy to pick yourself up and smile and be joyful all the time. There will be day you will feel more encouraged, more hopeful and determined to make something out of your situation. But truthfully, there will be days of sadness, rejection and a sense of feeling useless. But this one thing I can say of my God, even when times are hard, some of us can attest that God provide for us the basic necessities to survived the drought. He gives us shelter, clothes on our back, He provide for us food and means of transportation to our various destination. And above all He has sustained us, granted us strength to continue the journey of life. We could have being dead, and there will be no place for hoping and believing for a better day. But ones God is fighting for us to be among the living I have no doubt that He has better plans for us. Just hold on tight to Him, let God know that your only hope in life is in Him, and you cannot see anyone taking you out expect Him. Pray to Him to visit you in your dreams to grant you comfort and assurance that He is still there with you. I can testify that, it is through dreams that I find my most strength, because when He visit me, in showing me the future or a little glimpse of His plans for me, I begin to shout for joy and start praising Him in advance because I know for sure one of these days He will see me through.
Guess what, when Job was done with his trail, God repaid him back all that he had lost plus more.
The Lord Restores Job's Fortunes (JOB 42 10-17 ESV)
10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lordgave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil[b] that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money[c] and a ring of gold.12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days.
I pray this has been a blessing you. Please send me your feedback and any words of encouragement or testimonies of how God has seen you through some difficult times to help encourage us all.
Stay Bless
