RPG Adults
USELESS COMFORT
THURSDAY, MAY 5
Job 16:1-11
Psalm 109:21-26
“Blessed be God, even…
the Father of mercies…”
USELESS COMFORT
Job listened quietly while his three friends gave long speeches. They were filled with human reasons. The friends of Job showed little compassion and seemed to be untouched by the severity of his trouble. They saw this as an opportunity to stand up boldly and admonish him in self-righteousness. They were unwilling to consider Job’s protest of innocence because it was contrary to the dogma they held.
Job finally broke his silence to point out to his friends that they had not been much help. If he were in their position, he might also make grand speeches, but Job claimed he would at least have pity for them in their affliction (Job 16:1-5). As Job spoke about his condition, we see his utter confusion. There is no comfort to be found either in silence or in speech (Job 16:6).
Job had lost his entire family and was physically exhausted by his suffering. It appeared that his condition witnessed against his claim to be righteous and faithful. Men openly scoffed at him and gathered to witness his suffering. The most difficult thing for Job to understand was why God appeared to have turned him over to wicked men and abandoned him altogether (Job 16:7-11). We see once again in the words of Job how difficult it was to go through life without the written Word of God. Job had no source of reliable information to which he could turn to discover the cause of his problem.
Perhaps one of the great lessons we can learn from Job is that we cannot truly comfort someone if we do not have a sense of pity. We must also have a clear understanding from the Scriptures of how God works so as not to give false advice to those we try to comfort. Christians who have been comforted by the Lord in times of trouble should desire to comfort others. We can do this when we know God’s Word (2 Cor 1:3-4).
THOUGHT: Why did the effort of Job’s friends to comfort him fail?
PRAYER: Help me, Father, in my duty to comfort those in trouble.