4 Thoughts on Job

Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me." - Job 42:1-3

Shot and sweet:  four thoughts on Job:
1.  You're not promised understanding in this life. We want to know why. We want to be reassured there's some purpose. There probably is. There's no promise you're going to find out. We get a whole book in the Bible with this one single point: KNOWING IS NOT GUARANTEED! Go ahead, yell, scream, rant, rave, reason - Job did it all and received no explanation. Zero. This is faith: trust... even... without... answers.

2. If God doesn't give answers DON'T MAKE UP YOUR OWN!!! Wow, chapter after chapter with his friends and that cocky kid Elihu, endlessly speculating. If you're answer starts with "Well, it seems to me..." then maybe you need to keep it to you. It comes from you, not from God. It's yours. It may be nice, but don't confuse it with truth - it's just an opinion and we all have them. When the Lord shows up at the end of the Book of Job, He's not to pleased with all the opinions passed off as fact. Let's save ourselves some grief and ease up on the guesswork about things.

3. GOD PUTS A LOWER VALUE ON OUR COMFORT THAN WE DO! The Lord cares about your character and watches over your soul. He might see that discomfort or even all out suffering accomplishes something He deems worthwhile. Whew. That one is sobering. Trust Him?

4. If you read it while you're sick... it's even harder. Got a case of bronchitis myself. Read Job in between the hacking cough and every time I thought "man... I feel awful" this nagging thought popped in my head "Yeah, but imagine if you were..." OH SHUT UP, WILL YA?!!! Man alive Job puts stuff into perspective, aye?

​Spark. I'd blow on that to fan it to flame but I just keep coughing at the moment ;~)