Job needed hope

Job had a rough series of events that nearly killed him. He lost his children in a freak accident, he lost all his wealth, he was seriously ill, and his wife said, “‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’” (Job 2:9, NIV) Wow, can you imagine hearing that from your spouse?

Let’s face it—Job had more than a few reasons to feel hopeless and helpless, but he had a secret weapon: he chose hope. At the very worst junction of pain, Job said, “‘Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him; I will surely defend my ways to His face.’” (Job 13:15, NIV)  

Now Job had a weird theology. He thought that God was causing all these horrors. Job felt he needed to justify his innocence. He wondered why God was doing all these things to him when he was a good guy (Paul Marc paraphrase). Job’s thinking was causing him more pain: 

1. Job blamed God for all the loss: “‘Withdraw Your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with Your terrors.’” (Job 13:21, NIV) friend, do you blame God for tough times?
2. Job tried to justify himself to his friends. That’s always a losing battle. Taylor Swift sings that “haters gonna hate, hate, hate…” Your friends will always give you the benefit of the doubt, and your haters will always judge you. I forgive the haters and embrace my real friends.
3. Job didn’t understand that there are powers in this world: personal, political, emotional, financial, vengeful, demonic, and divine. He didn’t realize that there is a devil who hated his success and righteousness. Jesus said, “‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’” (John 10:10, NIV)  

friend, God loves you, but there is a dark force that wants to steal, kill, and destroy your life. Our battle is “...not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12, NIV)  

Be encouraged. God is for you, and so are we. Grab hold of the hope that God will help you and bring you to a new level of victory because you are a miracle. 

And I love you more than a good book.