A Spiritual Guide

Conquering Affliction 06.18.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Wednesady June 18, 2008 and today we are continuing our studies on the book of Job. Please read Chapters 5-8 in your Bible or Click Here to read. Cut & paste to browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%205-8&version=9

Today we will read and learn about Eliphaz rebuking Job & his response, Job’s criticism of his friends for rebuking him, & Bildad’s theory about Job’s affliction. Today’s message focuses on the importance of realizing that affliction creates us into the person that God created us to be.

After one full week of silent contemplation about Job’s suffering, Eliphaz, his eldest friend spoke first. He tried to convince Job to confess his secret sin, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” (Job 5:17-18). Eliphaz then went on to elaborate on the blessings Job could expect if he would only confess his sin, “Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.” (5:27).

After listening to lengthy condemnation, Job replies sorrowfully, “But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.” (6:1-4).

In addition to Job’s physical sufferings, his financial loss, the death of his children, and his wife’s bitterness toward God, all three of his friends misjudged his integrity and continued to unmercifully attack him day after day. Job felt the bitter sting of Eliphaz’s condemnation and his insinuation that Job was a hypocrite. Job did not understand why God had not come to his defense. Even worse, it seemed to him that he had even been struck down by God himself.

Though shaken, Job remained faithful to God and through his sufferings we see how the Lord was bringing to light deeper spiritual insight. “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?” (7:17-18). We too recognize our insignificance in comparison to the eternal, holy, and Almighty God. Although He created us, by nature we are defiled by sin and deserve eternal punishment. But, through the miraculous new birth, we have the joy of being eternally with our loving Creator.

When a child of God understands the reason for suffering, the heaviest load will not crush him. But when tragedy occurs with no sign of God’s presence, we are all prone to become discouraged. Too often, friends like Eliphaz and Bildad give hasty, harsh rebuke without sensing the intensity of the suffering.

Added to our suffering is the fact that we seldom understand the reason for our trials. In our human frailty, there are times when our faith is weak, but God will not allow us to suffer beyond what is best to accomplish His perfect will in our lives. One of the greatest evidences of God’s love to those who desire to be like the Master is for them to have affliction. Even Satan is used as God’s tool to develop His gracious purpose in the lives of His children.

God allowed Job to suffer but, it is also a fact that for Christians, regardless of what happens we are children of God and can conquer anything that is set before us. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39).

In today’s message Jesus Christ is revealed through Job’s sorrowful condition (Job 7:1-6). Christ was known as a Man of sorrows, and He was acquainted with grief. On the cross separated from God in His humanity, Jesus felt that pain in addition to all our sins which He bore (Isaiah 53:3; Mark 15:34).

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord,
You have great purpose for our lives and for the legacy we leave for those who follow. In our journey there are bitter waters from which we drink and there are sweet fragrances that fill our nostrils. Through it all You work to bring the good out of all bad circumstances, all the while reminding us of our calling to live according to Your purpose.  May we be trusting in the hard times and faithful all the time. In Jesus’ name…..Amen.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

God Bless,
Christina

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