The story of Job is of great benefit to all who have and will suffer in this life. God describes Job as a man who feared Him and who shunned evil. God also declared that there is no one on earth like him, and that Job was blameless and upright. Job had great wealth and ten children. Then, as God allowed, the day came when Satan enters the scene. (1:6)

The seasons change annually as designed by God. We are also changed more and more into the likeness of God as we yield to His way. In the Bible Satan is revealed as “an angel of light” who comes to deceive and to tempt us. (2 Corin 11:14)  We all endure tests of faith, however, the tale of Job’s test is most severe compared to all others. Eternity never ends, but our life evaporates as quickly as the vapor over a hot cup of coffee. In His Way, and in His perfect timing, God gave us NEW life “in Him” and our perception of Who God is changes overtime. Job was highly esteemed by God, blameless in His sight. We are all sheep that are subject to the whims of changing seasons.  We are easily led astray by voices not of God. Be vigilant.

Repeatedly in the old and new testament God warns us “DO NOT BE DECEIVED.” Apparently, our Father had a reason to warn us, as He knows the beginning and the end. He knows we will be tempted as our faith in Him is tested. GOD allowed Satan to strip Job of his wealth, children, and all his possessions. The book of Job opens with a discourse between God and Satan. By the end of the book, we perceive correctly that God always intended on winning. Satan has always been God’s pawn. From the beginning Satan’s goal is to cause Job and us to walk away from God and His promises. In the 38th chapter — just as Job was about to cry out “Why must I suffer so much, I have been good?” God interrupted the desire of Job’s heart and asked him a few questions that causes both Job and us to pause. “Where were you when I created the sky, or set a boundary on the ocean?” Just as Job was silenced in the holy Presence and wisdom of God, we too are humbled into submission as we consider Who we intended to shake our fist at to demand justice. We do NOT think like God, and our Father answers all our questions as we admire His character at work in all our situations. The best reasoning of all of Job’s friends, led Job to dare to question God. Lord God, I submit my mind and soul to the Spirit of God. Not my will, but Thy will be done.

Just like Job, we cannot change what people think of us — not one detail about our hard life situations is changed by the opinions of man. In the final chapter of Job’s test, he admitted “I knew about God, but now I SEE my God working all things out for His glory and my benefit.” The approval of people is like chasing the wind. Be a God pleaser and fulfill your purpose by trusting God through all that this broken world challenges us with. Not all people will like us or approve of our ways. We choose to live in the confidence that God’s purpose is perfect in our success and suffering.

Through all the storms, we are to trust God’s promises to never leave us or forsake us. At the end of Job’s story, God restored all that Job lost with a double portion. In this life, we are all tested, and sharpened through our suffering. We are privy to a conversation between God and Satan. God asks Satan; ‘Have you been seeking to find a flaw in my servant Job?’ Satan replied ‘if Job’s flesh becomes painful he will surely curse You to your face.’ The Lord gave His permission to inflict sores, but Job’s life must be spared. Job’s wife in her despair encouraged; “curse God and die”. While Job’s four friends somehow suspected that sin was the cause of all the tragedy in Job’s life, the Father knew the beginning and the end of Job’s story, just as He has written all our stories in His book before we were born. Job had a dream; “Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job 4:16) Was Job allowing the influence of a friend smear or smudge his view of God? Did the words of a friend without faith in God cause Job to feel justified in the apparent unjust ways of God? Was Job being overly confident in his own flawless faith? Living immersed in all the beauty and wonders of the world, it is easy for all of us to forget God’s purpose in our assigned position. Job’s success was of God’s making, and entirely for His purpose. The question remains; “Why does God allow good people to suffer?” Through suffering, God takes us on a deep inspection of our souls. His purpose in allowing us to suffer is that we may see who we really are. God’s own Son suffered, and so must we. Our sorrows in life add compassion to our humanity. “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) Like athletes of the faith, we are put under a strict training program that we might win the race. (Hebrews 12:1) Consider the Prophet Isaiah. When he saw himself clearly, he fell on his face totally undone an cried out to God “I am a man of unclean lips”. (Isaiah 6:1) When we honestly measure our life to the holiness of God, we discover that we are unclean. In the midst of great suffering, Job is conscious of God’s holy Presence and convinced “surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said ‘Listen now and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.”

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. We all know good people who have suffered greatly. During our suffering, we are reminded that God allowed His Son to suffer, “then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.” (Mark 15:17) Through all the tests, even though Job was miserable, he did not curse God. He did however curse the day he was born. “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:11) In the end of all his suffering Job proclaimed “I know my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” (Job 19:25). As we experience favor in this life, like Job, let attest that it was through our trust in God. LESSON: The righteous do suffer, but not alone. The Duke died of cancer. Peter was hung upside down. John the Baptist was beheaded.