Job Chapter 2. When the going gets tough….
Some thoughts regarding this chapter:
1. God gave Satan permission to touch Job's body but has no permission to kill Job. When we experience pain and suffering, God is still in control. Bad things will happen but not without God's foreknowledge. He is well aware of our pain and cares for us and He'll use it for his glory. He will bring good from disaster. Knowing this will hopefully encourage us to persevere and be faithful even when the going gets tough.
2. Jobs wife was obviously upset with God and it probably did not make sense that Job was still a man of integrity. One day they lost everything including their sons and daughters and the next day Job is afflicted with painful sores.
– it's hard to watch someone we love go through so much pain and suffering.
– it's hard to be spiritually strong.
– it's hard not to get angry with God.
– Job says something profound: we should love God always and not just when things are going really well. We should love him when disaster hits us. It becomes very easy to curse God when disaster hits. We assume no evil should come against us on Earth. Once again this is a temporary place. Sin cursed our Earth so evil will happen. A promise for a perfect life is not until we go to heaven providing we love Jesus and walk faithfully, enduring to the end. If everything was perfect on Earth, we'd feel no need for the Lord.
3. Job's three friends are amazing. They grieved for him and stayed with him seven days and seven nights. What a blessing to have such a loving and caring friends. Whose that one person we have come alongside with and cried with or suffered with them because of our intense love for them? Let us be such great friends to those around us. May we show such love and support.
Job has lost most of what he had and now in chapter 2, he receives pain and suffering in his physical body, but he still has his life and his wife. His wife isn’t any help to him with what she has to say. His 3 friends then show up and stay with him for the next several days. They didn’t speak a word to him during this time. This makes me think that it may be best at times to just show up to be there for others without having to saying anything or offer advice. Our words can sometimes cause more trouble either by being misused, misinterpreted or misunderstood. We can also jump to the wrong conclusions about situations and we may even possibly say something that causes more pain and sorrow that we could later regret so I think that it is always wise to choose our words carefully.
I’m reminded today of a couple of verses from Proverbs.
Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Proverbs 17:17.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.