Calendar

MISUNDERSTOOD PURPOSE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
Job 3:20-26

Psalm 119:33-40

 

“…with the glory

which shall be revealed in us.”

 

MISUNDERSTOOD PURPOSE
 
Job continued to voice his misery in the manner of Hebrew poets. His words are startling in their overstatement. Yet, even today, in times of great stress when Christians take their eyes off the Lord and look on their troubles, they sometimes express deep despair and say shocking things.
 
Job sinned because, in his time of trouble, he questioned God’s actions. He asked why God forced man to continue life when it was filled with sorrow and a longing for death (Job 3:20-22). In the depths of his despair, he longed for the peace of God that the death of saints would bring.
 
We must admit that Job’s despair is far more excusable than ours if we were in a similar situation. Unable to understand, Job complained to God that his punishment was unfair since the proper way had been hidden from him (Job 3:23). This had resulted in terrible misery which was undeserved. One trouble after another came upon him and he lived in continual fear (Job 3:24-26). Yet, Job never rejected God or cursed Him as Satan said he would.
 
Job’s despair could have been avoided if he had better understood the purpose of God. In this, we learn an important lesson that all who are called upon by God ought to know hardship. The more we know concerning God through a systematic study of His Word, the more strength we find for the tests set before us. The Psalmist said that he loved God’s law and meditated on it all through the day because God’s commandments had made him wiser than his enemies who were ever around him. Certainly, Satan is a constant enemy (Ps 119:97-98).
 
Let us fix our eyes on the Lord and His blessing instead of on our own difficulties. Let us remember the blessings of the past and the Lord’s promises for the future. This will help to deliver us from the sin of despair when passing through times of difficulty.
 
THOUGHT: In what way did Job not sin in his tribulation?

PRAYER: Father, help me to always think on Thy blessings.

Search