As I write this article, I know that many of us are having hard times. This life is a mystery, as it’s so full of ups and downs that we sometimes want to doubt our faith in God and give up completely. I don’t need to be told about the problems we’re having because I see these things too! I know of some people who are having a hard time finding work or a place to live. Some people are sick, and even though they have many medical solutions, it’s still not enough to fix their health concerns.
If you fall into any of these categories, I kindly request that you take a moment and consider what I’m about to say. Even though life can be tough, I encourage you to reflect on Job’s circumstances in the Bible and believe that no bad situation can ever last forever. I’m convinced that whatever obstacles you’re encountering will eventually pass. I ask you to believe that God is still in control and that he has not forgotten you.
To illustrate my point, let’s look at the story of Job to understand how having faith can be helpful during hard times.
The story of Job revolves around an accusation made by Satan against Job. Satan asserted that Job’s devotion to God is purely motivated by the abundance of blessings he receives from God, and if God were to take everything away, Job would eventually turn against him. This specific event is found in the book of Job.
9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
Job 1:9-11
Now we know why bad things sometimes happen to good people. Satan, the enemy or accuser, is constantly investigating how to stop good people from succeeding. Job’s predicament brings to mind a common question people always ask when they encounter difficulties, such as “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” Job was not innocent in this regard, as he also asked the same question, but he did not receive an answer immediately. When we look at this from a different perspective, we’ll see that the circumstances Job encountered actually teach us what to do when things get tough.
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If we examine the life of Job, it is evident that he was a highly upright individual who held a profound reverence for God Almighty in his heart. Job didn’t deserve what happened to him, it was simply because Satan wasn’t happy that he was a dedicated man of God. This was why he had to lose his family and wealth. However, despite this, he never spoke any insulting words towards his creator. Rather, he reacted differently upon learning of the demise of his children, as revealed in the book of Job.
20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
Job 1:20-22
From this verse, we can see that Job responded differently than we would have if we had been in the same situation today. Imagine that you were informed that your children had just passed away in a similar circumstance. What would be your response? Would you respond with praise for God?
Honestly, it would be tough for me to behave the way Job did if I were to suffer a similar loss. I can’t even imagine how devastating it would be to lose all of my children at once. Despite the harrowing circumstances, Job still extolled God’s goodness.
When things get tough, you might have heard someone say, “at least you still have your health.” This is a common phrase used to comfort people who are going through tough times. The devil, who loves the pain of the children of God, was aware of this and decided to play a mind game to target Job’s weakest point, his health.
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Satan was determined not to relinquish his efforts, as it is inherent in his wicked nature to inflict distress upon those who stand in solidarity with God. He was still dissatisfied that Job did not hold his creator accountable; therefore he approached God once more, with the expectation that if he were to accuse Job again, God would likely put him through a test by causing his health to deteriorate. Satan hoped that Job’s human nature would play a role and ultimately lead him to make accusations against God.
4 Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. 5 But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
Job 2:4-5
When Satan made a second accusation against Job, God allowed his health to gradually be taken away from him. It is important to understand that Satan lacks the authority to issue directives to the Most High God. In fact, there is no individual who possesses the authority to execute that action. The reason God permitted Job’s health to deteriorate was due to his knowledge that he would remain loyal to him in the end, and that Satan would ultimately be put to shame.
12 When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
Job 2:12-13
Job’s situation worsened, and even his friends were in a state of shock. The severity of his condition was so severe that even his wife succumbed to the cleverness of Satan and advised Job to curse God and die. But job gave his wife the best response anyone should give in times of trouble. In my perspective, I believe that this response was intended for Satan, who was solely employing Job’s wife to accomplish his purposes.
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”
10 But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job 2:9-10
Since women are naturally meant to comfort men in difficult times, it was clear that Job’s wife was being influenced by Satan. I think the part where the job asked his wife if they would accept goodness from God and not hardship is a master-stroke in itself. The manner in which Job responds to his wife carries a moral symbolic significance that we can all identify with. It’s basically asking why we don’t curse God when he blesses us, but instead have the desire to curse him when things get tough and rough. Job’s response has a lot of wisdom for us all.
Based on everything that we have learned from the circumstances of Job and the resultant outcome, two questions came to my mind.
- Are you devoted to God with the expectation that he will provide you with only material wealth and good health?
- Will you still be loyal to God if he takes everything from you, like he did with Job?
Take a moment to consider these questions. Whatever answers come to your heart should be part of your daily prayer and worship.
One lesson we can take away from the story of Job is that God is always worthy of our praise, regardless of the challenges we encounter.
Because Job was reluctant to blame his creator and believed that things would turn around for his own good, was the reason God showed mercy on him and gave him everything he had lost.
Satan, who is well aware of man’s insatiable thirst for success and wealth, was hoping Job would prove him right in front of God, but he was mistaken. Job demonstrated that not every man desires wealth, but rather the love of God, and Satan was once again made to look foolish.
Every so often, Satan pulls the same tricks he pulled off with Job to test our faith in God. The human desire for wealth and good health is something God is aware of. Therefore, he deliberately allows trials to occur to evaluate our true loyalty to him. Trials do not last for those who put their faith in God.
If you’re experiencing any problems in your life, my advice is to keep trying and trust God. One thing I know about the Most High God is that when you think there is no way back, that is when he shows up. He wants his name to be glorified at the end. Your faith in him is being tested right now, so keep praising and worshipping him.
Satan never rests, he constantly roams the earth like a grumpy lion, seeking innocent children of God to cause havoc to. He is easy to defeat, and your faith in God during hard times is the only weapon you have to defeat him.
I hope you all stay strong and have faith during tough times, like Job did. God is not a human being, and his words must undoubtedly come to pass.
I’m sincerely hoping that this message will be a source of inspiration for you, just as it has been for me. Praise be the name of Yeshua (Jesus). HalleluYAH. Be blessed and thank you.
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