While talking with a dear friend of mine, I noticed something about Job I hadn’t thought of or saw before and it comforted me.
Before the devil unleashed on Job, we read that he was
blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. Job 1:1 (NLT)
So much so, that God knew it.
But then, when the devil attacked him again and his 3 friends came to visit him, his 3 friends
…sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. Job 2:13 (NLT)
Then
At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. Job 3:1 (NLT)
The majority of the rest of the chapters in the book of Job are the exchanges between Job and his friends. In the last chapter, after God shows up in a whirlwind, challenges Job, and commands Job to pray — Job finally prays!!!
Then God ended his trial and blessed Job even moreso than before.
Did you see the part that’s comforting? Job sat and didn’t do a thing for a week, then he wallows in self-pity wishing he didn’t exist. God needed to challenge him from within a whirlwind before Job finally prayed. And even tho Job reacted in that way, God rewarded him. He wasn’t condemned for reacting the way he did.
Even Job went thru the same cycle I do. Sure, I haven’t had to suffer as much as Job did, but I react in the same way. When I get down or discouraged, I know I should go to God even moreso than usual because I need his strength and presence more — but what do I usually do? I end up thinking about how unfortunate and sorry I am and I don’t feel like drawing near to God at all. I don’t feel like reading his Word, worshipping, or bowing my head to pray. It will go on for a few days (or weeks) before I start making myself feel guilty for reacting this way and putting my condition first before my time with God. Then finally, I either get provoked to jealousy for God’s presence, God moves thru someone or whatever…
So why do I, at times, condemn myself when I react the way I do towards God? Job did it and wasn’t condemned for it. It doesn’t make the reaction right but I should know that the blood of Jesus covers a multitude of sins.
It’s comforting to know that God loves me so much.