Today we are going to take a run through some short passages from “the friends” and from a younger man who speaks after the three friends. They seemed to start out well, sitting alongside Job in the immediate aftermath of the painful loss (Job 2:13). But they (like us) often want explainable answers (Spoiler! God rebukes them in Job 42:7 for their incomplete and bad answers).
Read Job 4:1-9 (Eliphaz) What is he saying?
Read Job 8:1-7 (Bildad) What is he saying?
Read Job 11 (Zopher) What is he saying?
Read Job 32:1-5, 33:8-13, & 34:1-12 (Elihu) What is he saying?
If you had to sum up what these friends belief about God – who is God to them?
Today, after you pray for wisdom, read through the the text below on suffering before reading the next chapter.
C.S. Lewis explains, “The Christian doctrine of suffering explains, I believe, a very curious fact about the world we live in. The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment He has scattered broadcast…The security we crave would teach us to rest our hearts in this world and oppose an obstacle to our return to God… Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”
Truths about Suffering (adapted from DesiringGod.org)
It is a normal part of our life here/God knew that we would experience suffering (Acts 14:22).
It is experienced for various reasons; many times we are caught in the cross-hairs of spiritual warfare, impacted by the fallenness and sin in ourselves as well as those around us, and we have an enemy that is seeking to destroy us (1 Peter 5:8).
Reminds us we are not in heaven, we are not “home” (Revelation 21:1,4).
Is multifaceted/presents differently to us all (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
We are meant to suffer together (Galatians 6:2).
Can equip us for ministry depending on our response (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Is a battleground for my soul (Job 2:9-10).
Prepares us for more glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
Read Job 3
How does Job express his agony and pain?
Are there sentences or thoughts that shock you? Remember in chapter 1, Job was “blameless and upright” and in agony he cries out.
Describe a time of suffering that you have experienced. How did you respond? Who walked alongside you? Perhaps you are suffering right now- how are you feeling and doing?
Express these feelings to the God who is running towards you, who is crazy about you, and who loves and pursues you (write out a prayer in a journal or a peice of paper).
Yesterday, Keith shared about the process of allowing our minds to be transformed and renewed. What an amazing blessing that our minds can actually be fundamentally changed. We all live in the story that we believe – about God and about ourselves. Telling ourselves a true story, believing the true story, changes everything.
This week, we are going to get to know a man named Job and some of his friends and see what story they believed about each other and about who God is.
We are going to do a “fly over” in the book of Job. I say a fly over because Job has 42 chapters filled with incredible thoughts, a heart wrenching pain, and few answers. We will hit some highlights that might prompt you to do further study. All week long we are going to ask similar questions that will move us on a path of examining how we perceive God versus who He reveals Himself to be.
Yesterday we pondered Paul’s words about “knowing whom he has believed in” to the extent that he could suffer joyfully. I want to grow that in myself. A steadfast knowing of God that walks with me through my circumstances.
The reading this week is a bit longer. The book of Job is a story that I hope we get caught up in.
The Bible Project has a great video on Job:
Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach and speak to you as you listen and read.
Read Job 1 & 2
What do we learn about God from these chapters (KNOW):
What do we learn about evil/Satan from these chapters?
What do we learn about Job?
What about Job’s friends? What do we learn about Job’s wife? How do they strike you?
How do you feel about the background conversation between God and Satan? Does this stir any feelings in you?
Share your feelings with the Lord in prayer. Perhaps write out some questions you have. However you best ‘sit’ with God, let Him in on your thoughts.
2nd Timothy 1:12 says: “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, Because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.”
Whom have you believed? From this past week of reading (and even the past months) describe the God you are (hopefully) knowing more each day. Look through 2 Timothy and reflect.
Spend some time thanking Him for who He is to you. Grab some paper or a journal to write down phrases that come to mind. Or write a letter to God thanking Him.
