Looking Through Job's Eyes (1)

Are you feeling down or overwhelmed or frustrated? Do you wonder why bad things are happening to you that you don’t think you deserve? Do you wonder what God is doing, if anything, in your life? You aren’t alone – and the book of Job in the Bible is for you!

Life was going great for Job. He had family, wealth, health – it was great until one day Satan claimed that Job was only righteous because God blessed Him. As Satan took away Job’s physical blessings, Job, in his misery and despair and confusion did not deny his faith in God. Job wasn’t perfect, but his faith is impressive. He is a Biblical example of godly patience (Ja 5:11). I hope you’ll read Job and watch for these powerful lessons…

We don’t always see what’s going on. The story begins with Satan attacking Job’s character before God: “But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to your face!” (1:11) Job didn’t know that that his suffering and losses were a test of his faith by Satan. How many times have we failed to see problems as a test of our faith and patience? Maybe Satan is saying, “If you take this away or allow them to suffer they will curse You!” Do we become distracted, overwhelmed, and disappoint God by abandoning our faith.

Satan is the destroyer. In the book of Job, Satan acknowledges that God is the One who blesses. James writes: “…Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Ja 1:17). Satan is named “Apollyon” in Revelation 9:11 which means “The Destroyer.” It is Satan who brings terrible disasters into Job’s life and ours, not God! God blesses and gives life, while Satan destroys and kills. Why curse God when it is Satan’s fault?

The right perspective about who God and Satan are and what they are trying to do in our lives will go a long way toward us choosing to trust God. And that trust will help us even when we don’t know what’s going on in our lives.    dd

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.  James 5:11

Next Week: Job (2) “Why?” isn’t always the right question