Job 10-13

I had a bit of a time getting around to my study, but once I finally settle down and find a place to comfortably read the Bible on my phone...I am good to go! =) Tonight, I got to read and dig into Job 10-13. I really appreciate the lessons Job learns, which helps me to (A) cope with my own illnesses, (B) appreciate the friends I do have, and (C) how to bring these issues up with God instead of avoiding talking with God about it!


Job 10


What I value most is how Job handled his struggles. Job is not afraid to voice his opinion to God, his Creator. He is mad, frustrated, bitter, and hurting. When we are innocent and still suffer, only God can give us relief. God knows the reasoning for our sickness, and God chooses if we get the relief we long for. Job continues to plead his case with God. He asks the questions many of us would be too afraid to ask.


In my own trials, I began to ask my own questions. Why shouldn't we? God is bigger than our questions. God is MUCH bigger than our questions. God is so much bigger than us! God can handle our questions, just like he could handle Job's questions and statements that showed the very heart of Job and the dark place he was stuck in. His friends did not get it at all, but how could they? They still had families back home, property probably, children, and they had their health. They did not get it, but God does. God gets it every single time. As Job reminds me, God knows you and me completely.. Not only does God know us completely, but He also completely "gets it"!


Job 11


His friend Zophar questions Job's knowledge of God. He says he wishes God would tell Job how wrong he was. In verses 12, he says how can a stupid person get wise. In a way, it seems like all he is doing is criticizing Job. 


He tells Job to prepare himself and to pray to God, and then to remove his hidden sin. He calls Job evil, and he needs to put away his sin in order to regain his hope and for his troubles to go away. I think if Job had a sin issue, he would have already taken care of it properly. But, as we seen Job diligently made offerings on each of his children's behalf..If Job had a sin issue, he would have taken care of it properly and privately..not waiting for trouble to strike. His friend ensured that there must be hidden sin to cause his circumstances. 


I would hope that his friends would show themselves as genuine friends. They were there, but were not listening to Job. They just said what they felt like saying versus listening. Their silence tendencies seemed to stop on the 7th day.


Job 12


His friends may have thought they were the wisest of the wise, but they are not the source of wisdom. There are many like them. People think they are completely wise in all their knowledge, but they are not. Job says that all they would have to do is look at the earth to find the source of wisdom.


God is the source of wisdom and power. He gives and takes away power and wisdom. He chooses to receives it. He can take away our source of power, strength, and wisdom if we are misusing it. It is so easy to feel like we are on top. We need to be careful. This is where pride comes in, and we stumble and fall. It is easy to fall. We need to remember that God will use the fools to shame the "wise".  We are in His power! All of us, whether we are "wise" or considered fools, we each answer to Him.


1 Corinthians 1:27 says: "Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful."


Job 13


Job tells his friends that he is just as smart as his friends, but he makes a bold statement.. a radical statement. "I don't want to argue with you. I want to argue with God." Sometimes, we have to pick our battles wisely. Who is it that will make a difference in Job's trials? Only God can! 


Job compares his friends as worthless doctors who cannot heal, which is a fairly accurate statement from the physical illness statement. They have been trying to help. I do not know their hearts, but many times friends without illness wants to help and "fix" the situation sometimes. They cannot accurately give a treatment plan, which makes them "worthless doctors". They do not know what the illness breeds or involves. 


Thankfully, I have the right kind of friends. They do not try to "fix" me, but they support me. This is all Job was asking for. He just wanted his friends to be there and SUPPORT him as he went through his enormous trials. That is all any of us are asking for. He just wanted support, just like all we want is support from our friends and those that care for us. We just want our friends to just be there and sometimes sit in silence if that is what we need at the time.