Thursday: The Challenge of Faith
Certainly the primary characters in the book of Job, as mere mortals seeing “through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12), were working from a very limited perspective, a very limited understanding of the nature of the physical world, much less the spiritual one. Interesting, too, that in all these debates about the evil that befell Job, none of the men, Job included, discussed the role of the devil—the direct and immediate cause of all of Job’s ills.
Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com
And yet, despite their own confidence about how right they were, especially Elihu (see Job 36:1–4), their attempts to explain Job’s suffering rationally all fell short. And, of course, Job knew that their attempts failed.
Even with our understanding of the story’s cosmic background, how well are we able to rationalize and explain the evil that befell Job? Read Job 1:1–2:10 again. Even with all this revealed to us, what other questions remain?
With the opening chapters of Job before us, we have a view of things that none of these men did. Nevertheless, even now the issues remain hard to understand. As we saw, far from his evil bringing this suffering to him, it was precisely Job’s goodness that caused God to point him out to the devil. So, the man’s goodness and desire to be faithful to God led this to happen to him? How do we understand this? And even if Job had known what was going on, wouldn’t he have cried out, “Please, God, use someone else. Give me back my children, my health, my property!” Job didn’t volunteer to be the guinea pig. Who would? So, how fair was all this to Job and to his family? Meanwhile, even though God won His challenge with the devil, we know the devil has not conceded defeat (Rev. 12:12); so, what was the purpose? And also, whatever good ultimately came out of what happened to Job, was it worth the death of all these people and all the suffering that Job went through? If these questions remain for us (though more answers are coming), imagine all the questions that Job had!
And yet, here’s one of the most important lessons we can take from the book of Job: that of living by faith and not by sight; that of trusting in God and staying faithful to Him even when, like Job, we cannot rationalize or explain why things happen as they do. We don’t live by faith when everything is fully and rationally explained. We live by faith when, like Job, we trust and obey God even when we cannot make sense of what is happening around us.
| What are the things you have to trust God for even though you don’t understand them? How can you continue to build that trust even when you don’t have answers? |
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The faith challenge in these last days is important more so in the 21st century where evil is in it's climax.I think then,that,faith sees what human eyes can't see.The true test of faith is not how many times one can get explanation on the senseless suffering he undergoes, but, how best his focus is towards the bigger ultimate picture (Christ ) who is that author and finisher of our faith. We hope one day all wrongs will be made right. God's justice will finally be proved
Because of God's great love we can trust Him and the outcome. Evil is a battle/war but thanks be to God the war has been won and Jesus is Lord.Trust in God no matter what is happen in our daily life.
There have been (and are) days my prayer has been "God my faith is too small, let me live by Jesus' faith today" and He always comes thru for me! The main thing I learn from what appears to be needless suffering, is that clinging to God thru it all has sweet rewards! It is thru trials and perseverance that hearts are transformed to be more Godlike, even in a blameless man like Job! Jesus gives me His righteousness, even when I look like I am lost!
This is what happening to most of us including myself. Is to pinpoint a person to sins he does in his past life towards the outcome of the present when he suffered sicknesses like Job is to criticized the sinner. We are blind to view that the love of God sometimes comes in testing our faith to see how steadfast we stand. These tests are bearable to our strength not more than we can take. Looking at the end of Job's suffering, his blessings from God was not an overnight reward, like the sudden death of his 10 children and a thousands of his animals. I think it took Job almost 20 years to get 10 other children and thousands of other animals to fulfill this reward what a faith. To me I will be longed failed.
The challenge of faith with Job was extreme as we can see.He longed for comfort,sense of love but instead he got his calamity being added by direct firm,harsh rebukes from the very best friends. As Christians,we should know that faith is for each and the challenge is only personal. The question is: How do you stand?
Powerful thoughts from the lesson today. Very well written
I some times wonder about the unsung heros like the Wadensians and the like, who had gone through things much like Job without even being seen or personally know of, even Job's family and servants. They are the heros of this story of the great Controversy. Can't wait to hear their story once in heaven.
Faith talk is easy. Many of us can put nice "faith" words together when we are sitting one-to-one in front of a computer screen, but when we move into the real world, our faith must become action. Dealing with our own and other peoples suffering can only come by growing and exercising faith. Job was prepared. The description of Job before his trouble began showed him to be have a relationship with God that was both personal and shared. That sort of relationship does not just start when trouble begins.
Illustration: When I am camping in the bush, I prepare for bad weather by taking with me all the extra things needed to keep dry. I buy the extra rope and pegs for the tent and pack them in the car to take with me. When I set up camp I use those extras to fully secure the tent. I make sure that water cannot flow through the tent site and that there are no overhead trees with branches than can fall on me. When wind and rain does come, I am prepared. I cannot afford to say that I wish I had brought more pegs or I wish I had not left them in the boot of the car.
Likewise, preparation of our spiritual lives is not just a foul weather event. We must prepare by practising our faith in the fair weather in preparation for the wind and rain of suffering.
It is true that life will always provide us the opportunity to grow our faith by exercising it in smaller matters and we are expected to build up our faith from strength to strength in order to stand in greater trials. Romans 1:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18
Thank God for your comment If we as Christians would have that kind of faith and trust relationship with God as Job did we would be able to go through the storms that come into our lives.Living by faith and trusting God is the only way we can endure the evils of this world and now there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Q1- We have to trust God for all the things that His word say even though we don't understand them. The word of God is divine! in it is creative energy. It is "living and powerful" the word of God is self fulfilling; and faith is expecting the word of God to do just what it says and depending upon that word only. A lesson in faith is the teaching that in the word of God there is this power. The centurion had this knowledge Matthew 8:8.
Q2- We can continue building this trust by looking to the word itself since faith comes by the word. The answer is only a fulfillment of the word so we cannot wait to have the answers first. Light was the answer and a fulfillment of the word "Let there be Light". The whole life and death of Jesus Christ including the miracles he did were all a fulfillment of the faithful word. We can only build our trust by continuing to be diligent students of the word to resist the devil in our association with the world who is constantly pressing upon mind and soul to bind us captive to the force of habit. Let us remember that each individual is on trial for his life. Have we given to God that which belongs to Him?
The quest(search)of faith makes faith's people strong in faith. If we claim by ourselves that we have faith, we're lying. The strength of Job's position was in knowing what he did not know! Our strength in such situation is to wonder what will be our restoration because, ofcause God will restore us and if He can't do it in this life, He'll do it in the life to come,we have to trust Him. I was in such situation when I was doing my last graduate's year, I had a problem of sabbath, lessons, quiz, exams, I couldn't do it because of my sabbath's bilief. One day, one of my classmates asked me what i thought about what would be my destiny, she reminds me that God can't come down and change my zero to cent per cent. I were perplexed! One idea which cometh unto my mind was to see what God will do as a sabbath master in my life. That year i failed. It were not easy to me. The next year, i saw God's hand in my studies, i succed not only to succed but I had a distinction. We are to live by faith and not by sight. We are to trust in God and stay faithful to Him even when, we cannot reason or explain why things happen as they do. That last year, the institute'schedule changed not, on saturday we had lessons, exams. And my position changed not even when i incur a risk not only to fail again but also to be expel in the university. We live in faith when, like Job, we trust and obey God, even when we cannot make sense of what is happening around us. God bless all of you, thanks.
As I read your comment, I see God's hand in what you are relating. You truly have the Spirit guiding you. As you continue to ascend out of the muck of the world to the light of God you will accomplish God's will. God bless you in your journey.
Thanks alot dear brother, we will meet before our Savour after overcoming all these trials! We have to trust our Lord.
What are the things we are to trust God for even though we do not understand them. We will never understand evil. Evil does not respect persons. Bad things happen to good people,Job is perfect example.But in everything remain faithful to God as Job did, be patient, be humble, trust God no matter what and exercise endurance. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I have towards you, thoughts of good and not of evil to give you an expected end. Freinds when man fail you God will never fail you. For Gods thoughts are not our thoughts. It maybe a tough fight, we cannot fight the battle on our own. In everything include God. Whatever the cost even if it causes pain. My grandmother always say; nothing good comes easy. I say, nothing good last forever without having challenges. May God continues to strengthen us, to give us a spirit of endurance and love. God bless you
The reason why the devil is never mentioned especially by Job is because Job knew that this evil was from God, Job 2:10 he says ''shall we accept good from the lord and not adversity (translated in hebrew as 'évil'), also look at Job 42:12 Jobs family comforted him ''for all the evil that the lord brought upon him. Hence evil that befall us is not only a penalty for sin but also a preparation for righteousness. We usually imagine that all evil is related to something bad in the past instead of something good in the future, Roman 8:8, Yes men do evil but apparently nothing good comes from it but when God employs it, it is ONLY and ESSENTIALLY for GOOD. It is only by faith that we trust that even these evil here present are shadowing impending glories to come. Isa 45:7 God says ...''l make peace and create evil...'' but surely his evil upon his children is not to punish but to polish. Happy sabath
Suffering makes ones faith grow and feel the urge for God's intervention. In this context of Job's suffering innocently or whether we had wronged God, I like the fact that Job remained faithful to God.
He did not succumb to the advice of his wife nor of his friends. In the great controversy between good and evil, God and certain we human believers we should be ready for hard and terrible times. Just as Job overcame because of faith we too shall overcome.
Being prepared is not only a boy scout motto as well as other ideas of possible future encounters and needed advice, it includes a Spiritual application. When, where, and how is the challenge that we need to be prepared as well. The determining factors are not always clear. Having been exposed to the last day message for a generous number of years, the urgency seems to ebb and flow. We point to signs and events that surly are fulfillment of prophecy, as a way to measure how close to being prepared we are. Being prepared is still timely advice. We do not know the number of our days. Soon is a relatively indefinite period of time. Hebrews 4:16
Faith is a struggle. Thank God for the Struggle. I express my faith again out loud: "I Am Yeshua's and Yehovah's and through Yeshua Yehovah has my hand in a firm grip that CANNOT be broken - by the Power of the Ruach I so WILL IT! MARANATHA!
Mandlenkosi Zulu, i respectfully disagree with your statement that the evil that befell Job was from God. GOD DOES NOTHING EVIL! Remember it was satan who asked to be allowed to harm Job. God may have removed his protection and ALLOWED satan to inflict Job, but the evil did NOT come from God. IT is not His nature.
C S Lewis, in his book, "The Problem of Pain", makes a profound analysis of the complexity of good and evil and purpose.
"In the fallen and partially redeemed universe we may distinguish (1) The simple good descending from God, (2) The simple evil produced by rebellious creatures, and (3) the exploitation of that evil by God for His redemptive purpose, which produces (4) the complex good to which accepted [99] suffering and repented sin contribute. Now the fact that God can make complex good out of simple evil does not excuse—though by mercy it may save—those who do the simple evil. And this distinction is central. Offences must come, but woe to those by whom they come; sins do cause grace to abound, but we must not make that an excuse for continuing to sin."
Lewis does not shy away from the complexity of the problem of pain and suffering but offers us a thoughtful basis for making some sense from it.