Job's friend, Eliphaz, reminds him of this truth.
Job 4:3-6
3 “In the past you have encouraged many people;
you have strengthened those who were weak.
4 Your words have supported those who were falling;
you encouraged those with shaky knees.
5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart.
You are terrified when it touches you.
6 Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence?
Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?
you have strengthened those who were weak.
4 Your words have supported those who were falling;
you encouraged those with shaky knees.
5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart.
You are terrified when it touches you.
6 Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence?
Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?
Job's friends didn't do such a great job in the area of encouragement amidst his tremendous suffering, yet as I read these verses today, I thought of how these truths in our lives flesh out.
"Trust God. He knows what He's doing."
"God is sovereign over all. Doesn't that bring you peace?"
"Fight for joy."
These are all things I have said in the past to others in the midst of trials. Yet, I know when I have been in the midst of my own suffering that sometimes I just want people to sit with me and be still and quiet.
And I have doubted all these truths. I have strayed from trusting. I have asked, "WHY?". I have been terrified. I have lost heart.
But two things I know for sure. My confidence must be in my Savior; even when my feelings are frail. My hope lies in Him and Him alone.
And these truths won't ever change! Even when I doubt. Even when I fear. Even when I feel far from my Savior.
1 comment:
This is very timely and so true in the life of all believers. Ultimately as you have pointed out, we take out of Job's difficulties that God is sovereign and providentially working out all things for the good of His people and for His glory alone. I also believe that God helps us to understand that we do worry and we do doubt and we do things that fallen, finite, natural creatures such as us do. It helps us to understand that our ultimate trust is in the power, wonder and greatness of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!
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