a little about Job

Let me preface this post by saying, no, we are not currently going through any terrible trials or sufferings, but still, the study of Job laid heavy on my heart. Maybe for compassion & comfort to those close to us who are going through change, or maybe for future loss we will incur... regardless, Job teaches us so much about God's goodness, in everything.

Over the last few weeks we've been studying Job in bible study, and it's something I've been wanting to post about. I haven't ever studied Job in such depth, in fact it seemed to just be the "go to" chapter of the Bible in times of suffering. We all know that the chapter is about a man who loses everything he had, but it's also about God's goodness in relation to his suffering.

Job is described as a man who is "blameless & upright," not sinless, but someone who "feared God." Throughout the chapter Satan inflicts pain & loss on Job (in hopes that he'll turn from God), Job's friends give him terrible advice (saying that he's being punished for his sins), and Job questions & cries out to God for answers. At the end of the story God literally shows up, out of a storm, to teach him some things that were bigger than what he had suffered. Job learned that resoring his friendships with those who had turned from him, forgiving them & praying for them, lead to restoration within himself too.

Some questions - Why do good people suffer? Where is God when terrible things happen? How can God allow suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people?

Job's trials were part of a bigger picture, one that Job didn't understand. The lessons he learned were real & personal, and he still doesn't know why he suffered. He does, however, know God much more deeply now.

"Life is characterized by change, and change often means loss. Though everything we have is a gift from God, we tend to expect Him to always bless us and never take back any of His gifts... While God may not restore exactly what we have lost, He can bring new sources of joy to us if we let Him... We can pour our pain & frustration to God when we are going through difficult seasons, but we should look past the pain & remind ourselves that the future holds more blessings."

In the end, God restored Job... He gave him everything that he had lost, 2 fold. His wealth doubled, he had ten more children, and lived 140 more years.

All of the above to say that, God is soveriegn, even in the midst of change, loss, and suffering... And when bad things happen, we should cling to Him to carry us through, so that we come forth as gold, stronger & more refined.