I’m working through the book of Job again. The last time I went through this book in it’s entirety was just about two years ago. Ironically enough, just after I read through it my entire life shifted into an upside down chaotic mess. I was really thankful to have just read through the life of Job and have all he went through fresh on my mind as I faced my very own set of intense battles and heartache. It helped me feel less alone. I was able to remember back on all he went through and see how he persevered and how his faith remained in tact even though he had lost it all.

This time working through the book of Job I am seeing things with a slightly different perspective. That is part of why I love scripture so much, it continues to be relevant through all of life. It is why you might hear Christians say “the Bible is the living word of God” because it breathes life into us even as our years pass, and as our faith grows and changes, there is always something to be learned from God’s word; it just never gets old.

Right now I am at Job 19. He is in the middle of a very difficult back and forth including some of his closest friends.

This is how this chapter begins:

“How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone. If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me, then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me. Though I cry, “violence!” I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness.” (verses 1-8)

He continues on to list all the ways he feels isolated, separated, cast away and betrayed, forgotten, lonely, left out, and rejected by those he knew best.

And then he writes in verse 25:

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes — I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

Job is in the middle of serious heartache and his “friends” are berating him time and time again. Telling him they know why God is punishing him, and there must be something that he did wrong. That he must be living in sin. That he must have gone wrong in one way or another. Job remains steadfast and doesn’t budge through all their condemnation and ridicule and finger pointing. Because they were wrong.

My heart just breaks open and is crushed under the weight of what is happening here within this circle of influence surrounding Job. This man just lost everything he once held dear and his “friends” came at him without compassion, without love, and certainly lacking grace and understanding. They decided instead they needed to make logical human rational out of a situation they only partially understood. Oh how human nature betrays our souls so well when left to it’s own devices!

I wish I could say I can’t relate to this situation at all and this sounds like something that doesn’t “happen in real life” but unfortunately I know this very pain all too well. I don’t know how Job remained holding up his innocence because I have even questioned my own at times. I felt that if everyone around me was pointing the finger that I must have done something to deserve these things. I have almost fell victim to the lies that the things that have happened in my life were somehow because of my own short comings. Then I remember Job.

What Job’s friends didn’t understand is that there was a spiritual battle going on behind the scenes that they were not aware of at all. Job himself didn’t know this was happening either, but he still left his trust with the Lord. He trusted that God’s promises still remained true. Job never turned from God; although he did get to the point he felt God must have left him. Even then he continued on speaking the truth about who God was.

Our circumstances being in a position of decline or less than what we see as fair or ideal does not change the promises of God or His character. It goes deeper than that. There is a bigger picture. There is higher meaning to our life here on earth.

Romans 8:26-39

^” In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I take great encouragement from the pages of Job and this passage in Romans. I take comfort knowing that there is a battle going on in the spiritual realms I know nothing of. I take comfort knowing that although those around you may try and point the finger at you as though it is something you have done to somehow deserve the circumstances in your life, that isn’t always the truth. Sometimes God is at work behind the scenes using your life in ways you could never understand at the time. Sometimes He has created us for “such a time as this” and that is comforting to me.

If you are going through great trials know this: God has a plan. He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. He loves you dearly. Press on clinging to these promises. If you have brought your life before the Lord and asked Him to search your heart and He doesn’t reveal anything that needs to be repented of or otherwise addressed then you press on with your chin up high knowing that you are His child. He will always show you if something is there that needs to be worked through. Just because people around you think they know it all doesn’t mean they are right. Don’t let people bully you into feeling like you have done something to deserve your life circumstances because that just isn’t always the case. Rest assured you are in good hands with the Creator of the Universe guiding your way ❤