Job dealt with ALL of these at the same time. Seeing how Job endured has been a real lesson for me and I thought I’d share this as we are all sure to face our share of trials.

Now nothing that I have ever gone through can ever compare to what Job endured. In a quick series of events, all in one day he lost several servants, then his camels, his sheep and the biggest blow of all, his children. As is that was not enough, he then was plagued by painful boils all over his body.

As he went through his suffering, his relatives failed him, his servants started ignoring him, his wife, who told him to curse God and die, found his breath repulsive, he got no respect from anyone, not even children. Three of his friends who came to mourn with him, intending to comfort him, accused him of having brought all of this on himself as he must be harboring some evil, perverted, un-confessed sins. Job, the man that they accused as some vile creature, is the one that God Himself describes as blameless and upright, one who fears God and shuns evil.

Here is a man who has lost his children and grieves alone. His wife is certainly not his helpmate – he will find no comfort in her. His friends, though well intentioned are adding insult to injury. He is financially ruined. He is in constant physical pain and he is ignored and ostracized. It is no wonder that he is deeply depressed. His grief, his despair, his pain leads him to curse the day that he was born. He describes his grief as being heavier than the sand of the sea. He longs for death….but it does not come. He loathes his life. His pain is more than I have experienced…and even if I try to put myself in his place, I am sure my imagination falls short.

He isn’t feeling God in this trial.

“Look, I go forward, but He is not there,

And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;

When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;

When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.” Job 23:8-9

That I can relate to. There are some trials where you feel God’s arms carrying you and His presence sweetly soothing your pain. But there are some trials, where you don’t sense the presence of God. You feel as if He is silent and cannot be found.

Yet, in all this, Job’s very next sentence in v 10 is such an inspirational bible verse …

But He knows the way that I take;

When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Even though Job didn’t feel God’s presence, He knew God was with him. He was also confident, that he would come out of this trial victorious. What made him sure of the victory? I think the verses that immediately follow, give us insight into Job’s confidence.

My foot has held fast to His steps;

I have kept His way and not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;

I have treasured the words of His mouth

More than my necessary food. Job 23:11-12

Job remained steadfast, remained obedient, and stayed in the Word. He treasured the Word more than his necessary food. I remember at a Third World concert in Jamaica years ago, when the crowd was rocking, a band member said to the crowd, “Boy unnu nicer than cook food!!” (Translation: Boy, you are nicer than cooked food). I am one of those Jamaicans who love my “cook food”. If I craved the Word more, ensuring that I never missed an opportunity for a spiritual meal, in any of my difficulties, which pale in comparison to Job, my actions or words would be more likely to bring honor to God, than dishonor to His name.

For those of us in the trial, may we hold fast to His steps, keep His way, treasure His word so we can say with confidence “ when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold”.