Have you ever had to go through a series of storms that you can’t explain? Job went through the worst of the worst, but he never turned his back on God, and in the end, he received double for his trouble.
Job lived land of Uz and is known for being a man of great integrity, his fear of God, and his unwavering faith in God even in the face of immense suffering.
Job was a righteous and wealthy man who was greatly blessed by God. He was described in the Bible as one of the richest men in the land and was extremely faithful to God, but Satan challenged God, claiming that Job's faith was only due to God's blessings. To prove Satan wrong, God allowed Satan to test Job's faith by taking away his wealth, children, and health.
Satan first caused Job’s livestock to be stolen and killed, and then, a fire destroyed his servants and buildings. Finally, a great storm swept away Job’s children, killing them all. After all of that, Job was afflicted with painful boils (pus-filled bumps) on his skin, from head to toe.
But through it all, Job remained faithful to God.
Nobody could understand or explain Job’s suffering because they didn’t know and couldn’t see that this was a conflict between God and Satan, so his friends said that Job must have been suffering because of sins he had committed, even though Job hadn’t.
Despite his trials, Job maintained his trust and faith in God. His faith was tested to its limits, but he never turned on or cursed God.
Job’s story shows that even the most faithful servants of God will face struggles and adversity, and it shows how we can go through the worst of the worst while staying faithful. Ultimately, God appeared to Job and rebuked his friends for their misguided judgments and comments. God then restored Job’s wealth, giving him back double what he had lost.
When we have faith in God, we can get through anything.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from Job’s story?
2 - When you face trials and adversity, how do you respond? Do you stay faithful to God, or do you talk bad about or turn your back on God?
3 - If you were one of Job’s friends, what would you say to him? Would you claim he was a sinner, would you tell him to curse God, or would you stand beside him and lift him up?
4 - Why do you think God allowed Job to suffer? How does this understanding affect your view of suffering in general?
5 - Satan tried to prove Job was only faithful to God because of the wealth and blessings that Job had. Is there a difference between how you view God when you have blessings and opportunities versus when you don’t?
My Prayer: Dear, God. While I pray for blessings for my family and myself, I understand that trials and adversity are a part of life. When I face the storms of life, I pray that you help me stay strong and help me understand that I can come out of them stronger and with more wisdom, knowledge, and experience. I pray that I am able to use what I learn in the storms to help the people and world around me. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.
For a printable PDF version of this devo, click here: Job: Patience and Toughness in the Face of Suffering
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