creates a bond that endears us to them and them to us.
Today, we read of Job's despair and his conclusion that it would have been better if he had never been born. This thought is developed in chapter 3, and Job sincerely wonders why God allowed him to survive at birth. Job asks "why" seven times and lets it be know what he thinks should happen to the day of his birth. He uses the word "may" at least thirteen times in expressing his disdain for the day he was born. From his perspective, Job believes he understands what would have been best. He curses the day he was born and concludes that "the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me". Job is looking for answers to explain this thing called "suffering" that has disrupted his world.
Unlike Job, we have been given a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes in the spiritual realm that brought about Job's trials. However, Job nor his friends were privy to the underlying cause of Job's troubles. Neither did they know that God was going to restore everything Job had lost, including his health. If Job had known what God knew, he would not have experienced a sense of hopelessness and confusion. Job's beliefs were being shaken. Job had lived a righteous life and had avoided the consequences of bad behavior. God had also put "a hedge" about him. Job was no doubt shocked as well as confused when his life literally fell apart. We are no different than Job and during times of suffering and pain everything can appear negative as we have trouble separating reality from our sense of hopelessness.
Job's friend in chapter 4, was convinced from his own experience that there was sin in Job's life that would account for his suffering. We like predictable results. When we do this, then this should happen. When it doesn't, we feel out of control and that scares us. Dr. Stanley points out that "it's tempting to think that good boys always get the apple and bad boys always get the stick". He reminds us that "No one was ever more innocent than Jesus, yet He perished for our sins".
One of the lessons in the Book of Job is that God is the One in charge--we are not! The better we know God and His intentions for good toward us, the more we can trust Him and the better we can weather our trials. God is not secretive about what He intends for us. In Jeremiah 29:11, God clearly says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." James 5:11, tells us, "Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord---that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful". These are only two of many scripture passages that assures us of God's love and good will toward us. In times of trials and suffering, we are not without hope but can hold on to the truth of God's love for us.
The benefits of setting our love upon God are listed in Psalm 91:14-16. The word "set" indicates a deliberateness. Our relationship with God is too important to leave to chance. How deliberate are we in our relationship with Him? Do we only spend time with God if it's convenient--if we have nothing else to do? Do we express our love to God only when His blessings come to mind (if they do), or are we deliberate in expressing our love and thanksgiving to Him? God promises that when we are deliberate in our love for Him, He will deliver us, He will "set us on high because (we) have known His name", He will answer us when we call upon Him, He will be with us in trouble, deliver us and honor us. He says He will satisfy us with long life and show us His salvation. God is definitely deliberate toward us as His children. Proverbs 22:15, addresses the need for parents to also be deliberate in the upbringing of our children.
Romans 8:18, addresses the subject of suffering in this manner, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us". Jesus cautioned that, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33). If our hope was only in this world, Job's appraisal of life would be accurate--it would have been better to have not been born. Jesus goes on to say this, "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"! As God's adopted children, "we are full heirs to our new father's estate" (Life Application Study Bible), "and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:17). Suffering is part of life in this world. We can either suffer without hope or run our race patiently enduring suffering for a season, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), and looking forward to being glorified with Him. It is our decision and we would do well to be deliberate in making it.
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