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“The Lesson Of Job”
Categories: GOD, OLD TESTAMENT, RELATIONSHIPSAbout two years ago, life started to get bad. I was told to read Job. I was devoted to God, thought He was real, but this, to me, is cruel. I never thought the God of the Bible could hurt one of His own. If what I am going through is a Job thing… why? Why do we humans have to go through such bad things?
Sincerely,
Horribly Hurting
Dear Horribly Hurting,
The book of Job does answer your question, but you have to understand the point of the book to get the lesson. God never hurt Job; the devil did (Job 2:7). Job suffered because the devil accused God of protecting Job too much. He accused Job of serving God, not out of love, but out of a desire for blessings (Job 1:9-11). The devil was wrong, though; Job didn’t renounce God even when he was suffering (Job 1:22). Job’s life testifies that serving God is about more than just being blessed; it is about love.
When christians remain faithful to God throughout immense trials, they prove to the world that Christianity is not a club or a Sunday activity – being a christian is a way of life. When people take up their crosses and follow Christ, the world sees that we are serious (Matt 16:24). When we suffer for doing right, we have nothing to be ashamed of; we are glorifying God (1 Pet 4:15). It is through many trials that we enter God’s kingdom (Acts 14:22). We here at AYP don’t know exactly what it is that you are suffering through, but if you suffer as a christian, know that you are not suffering in vain (1 Pet 3:17-18). In this life, you may get bad things – but no matter what, in the next life, you shall be comforted (Lk 16:25).
