By: Arnie Cole, Pamela Ovwigho, and Michael Ross
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
JOB 2:10 ESV
Faith Quest
Read Job 2:7–10
When is it hardest to hold fast to your integrity?
Faith Trek
Sadly, Job now had to deal with physical pain and weeping sores on top of grieving the loss of his children and livelihood. We’ve seen that Job’s initial response was to worship God rather than turning from God as Satan predicted. Now we get a glimpse into how his wife reacted.
We are told that she asked Job why he was still holding on to his integrity. Then she advised him to curse God and die. These were pretty harsh words, especially from his spouse. My (Pam’s) heart softens a bit toward Job’s wife, though, when I reflect on the fact that she had experienced the same painful losses, too. Her livelihood was inseparable from her husband’s and thus gone with the Sabeans and the fire. Moreover, those were her children who perished when the house crashed down around them. Now she witnessed the love of her life suffering with a horrid sickness.
We aren’t told anything about Mrs. Job’s relationship with God. Perhaps her faith had been as strong as her husband’s and she had joined him in worship. Maybe it was shakier.
Sadly, her words suggest that, at the very least, the tragedies scattered whatever faith she did have. Through her pain, she couldn’t see any reason to follow God. Job’s continued devotion was incomprehensible to her in the midst of their suffering. Thus she couldn’t help but tell him that he should just give it up.
Job’s answer provides an important faith lesson for all of us. He returned again to the fact that he worshipped God for who He is, not because of what He does or gives. He acknowledged that basing his faith on the Lord’s holiness and righteousness rendered the ups and downs of life somewhat irrelevant. Yes, he still experienced those ups and downs. He felt the joys, the sorrows, and the pain. While he may have cried out to God in his pain or wondered why these things were happening, Job realized that God was still God and worthy of worship.
Faith Tools
· Holding fast to our faith can be difficult in times of trouble and when others around us are falling away.
· Remembering that we worship God for who He is helps when hurts tempt us to turn away.
· PRAY: “Lord, please forgive me for those times when I get too caught up in what You give to me instead of who You are. Thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your Son to die for me. Help me to navigate the storms of life with integrity.” Spend a little time today reflecting on how you have responded to the unjust hurts in your life. Talk to God about those times and how you can move past any hurt that remains.
Notes for Growth
A Key Point I Learned Today:
How I Want to Grow:
My Prayer List:
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