“Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?” (Job 8:11)
Bildad the Shuhite, is one of the three friends of Job who to come visit with him in his misery. Instead of comforting him, Bildad rebukes him for sinning. Bildad points out that certainly his misery is caused by sin. As the bulrush is evidence that there is a swamp and the meadow is evidence that there is water, so his misery is evidence that his misery is caused by sin.
Being privy by Scripture, we know the cause of Job’s misery. We know the source of his misery. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) It’s not God punishing Job for sin. It’s the hatred of the enemy of God and man who brings misery into our lives, the cause and instigator of our misery. Neither is it a test of Job’s faith, but rather the proof of his faith. Satan said to God, “But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.” (Job 1:11)
In spite of the very difficult things Job endured, he held fast his reverence for God. Scripture states, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” (Job 1:22) Ultimately, God did allow satan to do what he does best and that is to cause misery. God did not allow it in order to test Job nor to test his faith. But He allows it to show up Job’s faithfulness and righteousness. Before studying the book of Job, I always took the word of my teachers that Job was self-righteous because Job over and over speaks about his righteousness as not the cause of his misery. And it was true. Righteousness in those days was dependent on works, doing the right things. And Job had been faithful to do the right things. But in this book, we see that Job’s faithfulness is not merely in the doing, but his heart was right before God. He was reverent toward God even in his misery.
We look to our own lives. Each of us is carrying a cross, a difficult situation. This life on earth is not without difficulty because the world is influenced and controlled by the devil. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” (James 1:12) A few things of importance in this Scripture. There is a blessing in enduring adversity (the meaning of the word temptation here.) And the endurance is proof of our love for the Lord. Do we only love the Lord when all is well and going our way? Are we quick to throw in the towel and give up? “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Corinthians 10:13)
God has provided a way for us to bear any difficulty. He has provided a way to end the misery. We must be careful here because it doesn’t necessarily mean the difficulty will end, but that our misery in the difficulty will change. Notice the last phrase, “that ye may be able to bear it.” One thing about any difficulty whether physical, mental and emotional or spiritual, God has allowed it. Instead of crying, “Why?” we must love God enough to bear it.
There is the belief that all should be honky dory in our lives because we are Christians and God is with us. It’s true that God is with us. It’s true that He protects us from harm and danger. But it’s also true that God allows adversity for His purposes. How little or how great is our love of God? When I was in the hospital with all the symptoms of Gillain Barre and had no balance and couldn’t walk, those questions all arose. I believed God for healing yet I knew that if He didn’t, I’d have to live the rest of my life handicapped and unable to care for myself. I had a time of great mourning for my former life, but was willing to accept God’s Will. Mercifully, I was healed. In the process of trying to assess my illness, every kind of test and exam was done. And when it was all said and done, a spot was discovered on my lungs. It was monitored and a year later it was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma. It was cancer. The middle lobe of my right lung was removed and so was the cancer. Had I not had the symptoms of Guillain-Barré, it would not have been discovered and death would have been certain if it had been discovered much later when I would have had symptoms. So, I can see God’s hand all along. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We live in this world of trouble. But we can have peace knowing God is in us and with us. And God is for us. Whatever God allows whatever adversity we go through we know that God has our back and our best in mind.
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