Job 23 - 25 ; Journey through Job

Hey family, so we’re drawing nearer to end of Job as it would seem and the Holy Spirit is really opening my eyes to what’s in God’s word. When reading these chapters what really became apparent to me was Job’s yearning to find God. Job 23:3 (NIV);

“If only I knew where to find Him, if only I could go to His dwelling”

More often than not, it’s when I’m going through things that God seemingly disappears. I may search and search and search for Him during those times, and think pretty much the same as Job did; “Daddy where are You?” “Will You please rescue me?” “Can You hear me?” “Please don’t hide from me in this moment because this is when I really need You” “Tell me where You are and I will come to You”. Literally all these thoughts come through my mind and more, but I think that that’s the best mind-set to have, even if it does seem a little crazy. During those seasons when I couldn’t find God, the best thing that I could have ever done was search for Him. When I couldn’t see God, I chose to trust His heart towards me and I went straight to His word and read till He spoke to me. Yes these times are so frustrating and it will test your patience but more importantly your faith. I’ve probably said this exact same thing a whole bunch of times during the journey so far but it’s the truth that I will stand on.

Something else that spoke to my heart was Job 23:10-12 (NIV) which says;

“But He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread”

In reading this, the first thing that came to my mind was hearing God say “Well done good and faithful servant” when I finally make it to heaven. In reading these verses I also thought of 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV);

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

These two bits of scripture are a depiction of the Christian walk in that we have to choose to follow closely behind God’s steps as He guides us through the will that He has for us. In doing this we will have to fight to finish what we have started – along with God’s help of course  - because they’re going to be a lot of people that will start the race and but haven’t lasted through the race. This spoke to me in saying that this walk is not going to be easy but having fought and finished it knowing I kept the faith, will be reward enough. 

Job 19 - 22 ; Journey through Job

Evening family, so in post of my journey through Job, God really opened my eyes to the importance in each of us seeing and seeking to know the heart of God for ourselves. Sometimes we let our troubles or the things we’re going through change our view of God. Because of that, our relationship with God becomes strangled because we’re no longer leaning on the truth of God presented within His word, but we’re going off of what we see/ are going through.

As I was reading through these few chapters, it dawned on me that God takes our battles personally and therefore knowing this, I can begin to think that with every battle and everything thing that I go through, where I might think I’m alone, God is right there with me. In fact in most cases God has gone ahead of me and has sorted many of my problems while I was there stressing for no reason.

Reading through chapters 20-22 the first that dawned on men was when is in Job 20:4 when Zophar says;

“Do you not know this of old,
since man was placed on earth (NKJV)”

Zophar bases his argument on traditions and the sayings of the old. This made me realise the importance of learning the true nature of God. This requires us to not lean on what we hear– the sayings of old – but rather needs us to be open to Him revealing  Himself to us through His Spirit as we read His word.

Job’s reply in chapter 21 hits an important topic; the prosperity of the wicked.
Sometimes when we are going through tough times, it can seem not fair when it feels like our lives are going downhill but someone who isn’t saved is doing more than fine in life. Have you ever thought, well I have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, and I’m actually trying to live right, and they’re clearly not, so why does it seem like they’re living better than me?

1.       God did not promise that every day would be easy. In fact Jesus says that we ought to consider it an HONOUR to be persecuted for the sake of Christ because our reward is in Heaven and not on Earth. Matthew 5:11-12:

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

I am a firm believer that God uses our tests and trials in order to reveal more of His nature to us.

James 1:2-3:

² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Here James is saying that the things we go through, the tests and the trials we have to go through PRODUCE something; whether it is patience as in the scripture, or a deeper understanding of God’s mercy, grace or love, or even a fresh revelation of who God is and His character.

tawo
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Job 16-19 ; Journey through Job

In chapters 16 – 17, Job then goes into even more detail about comforters his friends are compared to the previous chapters I read in 12-15. Job 17:3-4(NKJV) raises an even more interesting point in saying;

            “You have closed their minds to understanding”

Here we have another form wisdom and understanding when it comes to comforting a friend. I went through a period in life recently when I was trying to comfort an unsaved friend. Her grandmother was diagnosed with cervical cancer and she didn’t have long left to live. I spent time praying for her and encouraging her and assuring her of God’s plan for her life and then her grandmother died. She was confused and angry and for a split second I was too. I was so sure that God would use her grandmother’s miraculous healing to bring all of the family to him. The point I’m trying to make here is that if I couldn’t understand  why God did what He did, then how was I could I comfort her by reassuring her that God was in control, especially when she didn’t have a relationship with Him. Her mind was closed to understanding and so my words felon deaf ears.

Trying to be comforted by or comfort someone who isn’t saved is kind of like what Job is going through. If someone who is trying to comfort you is not a Christian they may not understand that alcohol won’t solve the problem like it used to, or they won’t get your need to cling closer to God in this moment. The same way, an unbeliever won’t get you if you’re telling them that God is in control and that their struggle is going to bring them closer to him. Here we seem the importance of Godly council when we’re going through hardship and also the importance of simply meeting people where they are.

My prayer in completing these chapters is kind of the same as the previous ones. That I would be quick to listen and slow to speak and that I would be an encourager. I would be someone that lived lift people up and not condemn them but met them where they were and was just real about it. 

tawo
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Job 12-15 ; Journey through Job

Hey family, so I know I’ve been slacking on the blog uploads, and I apologise it’s just that I’m finding Job a bit harder than expected to get a hold of and fully understand. You might ask why considering it’s based on conversations, but that’s exactly the point, I’m kinda finding it hard navigating the poetry in the writing. However, after one of my friends gave me a new method of study which involves listen to audio Bible, GENIUS!, things that were unclear before started to make sense and God started to open my eyes to the meaning behind the conversation.

Within these few chapters, what I received was that sometimes you just need your friends to be quiet when you’re going through trouble because silence is better than a harsh word.

Job 13:5 (NKJV) says

                        “Oh, that you would be silent, and it would be your wisdom”

Have you ever had those friends that just try and council you all the time? As much as I hate to admit it I’m guilty of being one of those friends that sometimes feels that I need to provide an answer for my services to be valid. These few chapters have taught me that yes a kind word is needed but when you don’t fully know what you’re talking about then let your silence be your wisdom. I bet Job’s friends thought that they were right in their own minds, I bet in the harshness of their words they were just begging their friend to listen and see sense, when it fact their unnecessary words just showed their foolishness. What they may have thought to be kind and lovingly rebuking words were actually tearing down their brother and often we may be like that. We may overlook the fact that we don’t actually fully understand the situation and just give our input. I think next time I come across a friend that’s going through hardship I will listen first, just listen with no intention of speaking back unless I really need to.

QUICK to listen, SLOW to speak

tawo
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