April 7

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” —JOB 23:10

Most of us will agree life isn’t fair. The sun seems to shine on some people while others seem to experience mostly thunder and rain. We can’t explain these things. One only has to look at the life of Job to understand that suffering happens. But the reason Job suffered was because of his righteousness – God could trust him to suffer.

There are many unanswerable questions in the story of Job regarding the role of Satan, and the extent to which Satan is permitted to work against us. We have just enough glimpse of insight to know that God does give Satan permission to attack. But at the end of it, God is producing gold.

I don’t know if Satan asks whether he may put you or me through the ‘Job process’ but I know no grounds on which we are exempt from it. The spiritual realm is a source of blessing, and it’s also a source of battle. But in it – God always knows what He’s doing.

In Job’s case, he had lost everything: his ten children, his livelihood, his servants and even his wife and friends turned on him certain he had committed sin against God. But through it all, Job clung steadfast to his faith in God and worshipped Him.

We can all be fair-weather Christians, praising God in the best of times, but it’s when disaster strikes, we see what our hearts are really like. Do we become angry and bitter, inclined to think God is absent or idle? Or do we weather the storm with God as our shield? In the midst of great devastation, Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). It’s a wonderful tribute to our faith when God is worshipped and trusted in a way that is not conditional upon us receiving good things and making our road easy.

God does some of His best work in the darkest times of our lives. In the end, Job said, “My eyes have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you “(Job 42:5). Job’s ears had heard of God before, but now his eyes have seen Him. He personally experienced God and saw firsthand the immeasurable power and wisdom of God eternal. (Job, Chapters 38 to 42 contains incredible dialogue from God about His wisdom and power.) God blessed Job with ten more children and twice the wealth he had before.

As Christians, our security doesn’t lie in our circumstances, but in our union with Jesus. He knows where we are and the way we should go, and we ought not to rebuke our sufferings, but thank Him for His redemptive work in them.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am grateful for the remarkable example You have given us in the story of Job. It reaffirms my faith and the fact that through our trials, You do bring us forth as gold. Thank You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: Are there times, particularly in suffering, when my faith has wavered? What can I do to strengthen it?