EXPERIENCING PAIN

EXPERIENCING PAIN

My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness. —Job 16:16

            The pain that so many people we know are experiencing— a spouse has died, severe health situations has entered their lives, divorces that have occurred, people that have been in prison, people that have been abused, broken relationships of any kind… the list goes on with such painful ordeals.

        Seek for a few moments to try and imagine the pain that Job was experiencing.  In a very short time he got news that all his oxen and donkeys were stolen and those keeping watch over them were all killed, but the one who brought him the news.  Before that servant was done speaking another servant came and told Job that all his camels were stolen and those keeping watch over them were killed, but only this one servant survived to tell Job.  Even before this servant finished speaking another servant came and told Job that all his children died in a storm that collapsed the house they were in.  All this news came to Job in just a few minutes.  Imagine the pain he was experiencing.  Yet, “Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:20-22).

        It is sin to charge God with wrong doing!  Job did not do this, but how many people do!  On top of all that Job had already been experiencing he then was afflicted “with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.  Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes” (Job 2:7-8).  How horrible!  He loses his business, all his children and now his health.  Can you and I even begin to imagine the enormous pain he is going through?  This was all satanically directed.  But that is not it…

You would hope that your life partner would be there to support you, but Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”  He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”  In all this, Job did not sin in what he said” (Job 2:9-10).  His wife wanted him to say the very words that Satan desired Job’s actions to take.  But he did not.  Imagine the pain of not having your wife’s support in such a difficult place.  But that is not it…

Oh, that we would have friends that would come around us to support us and walk through us, to be with us as we go through such pain.  But Job’s friends only caused him even greater pain in his already severely and intensely painful ordeal.  Job did not have any positive support system.  But that is not it…

Job even thought God was against him— “Why have you made me your target?” (Job 7:20).  What a terrible place to be in and yet Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15).  Job surely had a mix of emotions and many questions and said things he should not have said.  In the last few chapters our Lord has many question he asks Job and Job said to our Lord, “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more” (Job 40:4-5).

There is much we do not understand…  Let us comfort those going through difficulty with what we do know from our Lord.  Then let us trust Him for things He is doing we do not know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQmsEE_2-s Yes, Dear Father, please give me wisdom as I seek to encourage those going through difficulty.  May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.