Job 4-7

"What is man that you make so much of him, that you give him so much attention, that you examine him every morning and test him every moment? Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you? Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more."

Job's thoughts and reactions are so realistic to any of us that may be going through trials. The very first natural question we all ask is why? What have I done to displease God to have deserved this?

I know that God tests me, as Job himself said, yet it's so hard for me to see trials as tests when they come for myself and for others. Job's friend Eliphaz tried to encourage Job. But he encouraged him from a perspective that no bad thing can come to those that do good. So in his mind, Job must have done some evil in the sight of God. Eliphaz certainly couldn't see Job's circumstance as a test.

Eliphaz's reaction to Job totally made me feel like a hypocrite. If the scope of testing that comes from God can be as great as that of Job's (losing ALL your material possessions AND to be sick and in pain), then how I have judged so many people going through lesser trials.

My mother told me of this Christian lady in Taiwan that is constantly living in physical pain. As far as my mother knows, she is a devout follower of Jesus, yet this is her circumstance. This lady can't go to the church she used to go anymore, because whenever she goes, people there try to fix her. They are constantly searching for the reason behind her sickness. Is it unconfessed sin? Is it all in her head? Etc.

The thing is, this lady is living by faith. From what my mother told me, she is in pain yet have joy in the Lord. It is the "Christians" around her that can't accept her circumstance as trials by God.

Gosh, how I need to be humbled by God. If someone is going through a trial, it really is just between that person and God. If I'm really concerned, I should pray and encourage them with God's word. And NOT try to figure out why.

God wants to test and perfect our faith. It is for that reason alone God puts us through trials. But let's always be reminded that in whatever we are going through that God loves us. He will never put us through a trial that he won't provide the grace to get us through it. Let us choose to rejoice in our trials and allow God to work in our lives:)