“My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:5 NIV
We all experience bad days. Days when nothing goes right. It begins badly and progressively worsens as the day continues. Sometimes, those days stretch into weeks, and weeks become months—sometimes even years.
It feels like you’ve fallen and can’t get up. The unending problems and seemingly insurmountable challenges drain every ounce of your mental and emotional strength.
It may be the ugly drama of scrambled allegiances, strained relationships, and feelings of rejection, betrayal, and bitterness that leave you feeling alone in your battle for survival.
Or perhaps you or your loved one is dealing with debilitating physical issues accompanied by unrelenting pain.
Whether it’s physical or emotional pain, desperate grief, financial disaster, or some other potentially life-changing upheaval, your problems seem to layer one upon another, burying you under their weight.
The weight of your circumstances makes it difficult to breathe, think, or see the situation clearly.
Whether it’s a really rough day or an extended period of hardship, you will likely have an inkling of the depth of Job’s misery.
Meet Job. Scripture describes him as a man who was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1 ESV).”
He was a godly man, a good husband, and a loving father. Job taught his seven sons and three daughters to worship and serve God. He regularly sacrificed to God, confessing his own sins and shortcomings. He even sacrificed on behalf of his children in case one of them had unconfessed sin.
God blessed Job and his family bountifully. Highly respected, Job sat at the city gate as an honored chief among the people. When he spoke, all listened to his words of wisdom and counsel. (Job 29)
Blessings overflowed, and life was sweet—until it wasn’t.
On one bitter day, Job lost almost everything. His oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels were all either stolen by enemy raiders or burnt to death with fires from heaven. His servants were slain by the raiders’ sword or burned alive. Job’s ten children died while feasting together in their oldest brother’s home when tornado-like winds struck, collapsing the house, crushing everyone inside.
In his loss and grief, Scripture tells us Job remained faithful.
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:20-22 ESV
While grieving his losses, Job was struck from head to toe with painful, oozing sores. Scripture describes his suffering as “very great” (Job 2:13). Job’s wife was no comforter; she told him to “curse God and die.” Job’s response is astounding: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” The verse goes on to say, “In all this, Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9-10 ESV).
Then, Job’s friends arrived, intent on encouraging him, but in the end, they proved to be “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2 ESV). They repeatedly attempted to convince Job that his sin was the cause of his loss and suffering. They told Job that he needed to confess his sin and repent.
Scripture provides us with the backstory of Job’s situation. Satan had challenged God that Job’s faith and obedience were simply by-products of his abundant blessings. Satan claimed that if God removed the material blessings, Job would prove unfaithful. Satan thought he could use Job as a pawn to show God that even one of His best followers would turn his back on Him—if he faced real loss, grief, and hardship.
When Job remained faithful after his horrific loss, Satan returned to God to claim that Job remained faithful only because he had not been physically attacked. God allowed Satan to attack Job physically, but within limits—he could not kill Job.
On the surface, it might seem that God was using Job to prove a point with Satan. And in the end, God did show Satan that the relationship God had with Job was much deeper than material goods, family, or his health—Job’s heart belonged to GOD.
But God doesn’t need to prove anything to Satan.
God’s purpose of allowing Job to go through the pain and heartbreaking loss of his children and the source of his wealth was so that He could reveal more of Himself to His beloved child. God drew Job closer to Himself so that Job could see Him more clearly.
The more clearly we see God, the more God will reveal Himself to us. The better we know Him, the deeper the relationship becomes.
Here’s one of the lessons we should take away from Job’s story: God will never waste our hurt and heartache, but, if we let Him, God will use them for our growth and good, and for His glory.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 ESV
In the “Problem of Pain,” C. S. Lewis says, “The security we crave [in the world] would teach us to rest our hearts in this world.” That settled peace-filled security can make us complacent within ourselves, in our relationship with God, and in this world. It can become a stumbling block to our continued spiritual growth and a deepening relationship with God.
We are to find our security, safety, and peace of mind in God Alone. Pain, difficulties, and trials demand our attention and focus our eyes on God.
“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” Job 42:5 ESV
In the last five chapters of Job, God speaks to Job. God doesn’t explain to Job why what has happened occurred. He beautifully explains Who He Is. And that is all Job needs to hear.
Awash in the greatness of God’s revelation of Himself, Job humbly replies to God, “I’ve heard all about You, I believed, but NOW I see Who You Are.”
God used Job’s pain and suffering to open his eyes to the truth and reality of God’s greatness.
“But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. – When the humble see it, they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.” Psalm 69:29-30, 32 ESV
God uses our challenges, trials, pains, and heartaches to reveal more of Himself to us. As our vision improves, we see God more and more clearly. How has God revealed Himself to you in seasons of difficulty?