Job 9:1-35

👉 Job’s Faith Speaks

God is:

• wise in heart (v 4)

• mighty in strength (v 4)

• removes mountains (v 5)

• shakes the earth (v 6)

• commands the sun (v 7)

• seals up the stars (v 7)

• stretched out the heavens (v 8 )

• made the constellations (v 9)

• does great things (v 10)

• is mighty and just (v 19)

These little glimpses of Job’s faith mean so much. I love that – even in passages where his faith seems to struggle (never disappear, mind you) but struggle – it’s almost always followed by these reminders of who God is to Job.

It’s this back and forth of –

This is what I feel…

but

This is what I know.

👉 Lamentations 3 is a beautiful example of this.

Verses 1-20 describe a man in absolute misery. But – verse 21 says, “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope…”

He then goes on to recount the faithfulness, mercy, and love of the Lord.

He had to call it to mind. He had to remind himself. He had to choose to dwell on truth instead of trials.

I believe that’s what we see in Job. He acknowledges his suffering – and then calls to mind what he knows is true.

👉 What do you need to call to mind today?

Happy Friday, friends!

#job #faith #biblejournaling #biblestudy #bible #biblejournalingcommunity #biblejournalinglife #biblejournal #biblejournalingbrasil #god #christian #christianauthors #christianblogger #biblestudytips

👉 Have you downloaded your copy of the Journal With Me – Proverbs digital book? It’s not too late!

Job 8:1-22

👉 Bildad makes some wrong assumptions regarding Job’s suffering.

1. He assumes suffering is always a result of sin (v 4).
2. He assumes that the pure and upright will be spared any suffering (v 5-6).
3. He assumes painful trials are an indication that God has rejected Job (v 20).

And it’s easy to shake our heads at Bildad and ask, “How could he think that?”

But – remember – we are privy to what took place behind the scenes. He is not. Also – how often do we think some variation of these thoughts when life is particularly painful?

This is why it is vitally important to have godly friends speaking truth into our lives.

#job #biblejournaling #biblestudy #bible #biblejournalingcommunity #biblejournalinglife #biblejournal #biblejournalingbrasil #god #christian #christianauthors #christianblogger #biblestudytips

Job 7:1-21

👉 Job is experiencing inner turmoil:

• longs for
• who looks
• emptiness
• misery

👉 Job is experiencing external distress:

• sleepless
• worms and dirt on flesh
• skin hardens
• skin breaks out

👉 Because of this, he speaks from his feelings and not facts:

• my eye will never see good again
• he who goes to the grave doesn’t come up again

👉 Part of comforting grieving people is 1 – don’t judge their words when their spirits are in anguish (v 11) and 2 – remind them of what is true.

Remind them of God’s character. Tell them who they are in Christ. Recite the promises of scripture to them.

Gently.

Softly.

Sincerely.

When the time is appropriate.

Help them remember.

You are loved.

#job #biblejournaling #biblestudynotes #biblestudy #biblejournalingcommunity #mybrotherskeeper #mysisterskeeper

Job 6:1-30

👉 Job admitted that his outburst in chapter three was a bit rash (v 3) and seemed to acknowledge the sovereignty of God in all of the devastation that had come to him (v 4). The fact that he would prefer God to “loose his hand” tells me that he did believe God still held him even in such pain and loss.

👉 As for Eliphaz’s words, Job found them unpleasant and unsatisfying (v 5-7.) The group of friends as a whole had proven unreliable and unhelpful (v 14-18). In fact, Job found Eliphaz to be unkind (v 14) and offering nothing in terms of comfort (v 21).

👉 Job said that Eliphaz saw his calamity and was afraid (v 21). What was he afraid of?

Job clarified by saying…

• I didn’t ask you for a gift.
• I didn’t ask for any of your wealth.
• I didn’t ask you to deliver me.
• I didn’t ask you to redeem me.

Job implied that Eliphaz was afraid that comforting Job might cost him something. That something might be asked of him.

[Point to ponder: Do we avoid people who are hurting because we are afraid it may cost us something?]

Happy Wednesday, friends. You are loved.

#job #biblestudy #biblejournaling #biblejournalingcommunity #intheword

Job 4:1 – 5:27

Eliphaz, friend number one, began to speak to Job.

👉 First, he confirmed what we have been told about Job – that he was a righteous man (v 4:3-4).

• you have instructed many
• you have strengthened the weak
• you upheld others with your words
• you made firm the feeble

👉 Then, Eliphaz seemed to question Job’s response to his trials (v 4:5).

• are you impatient
• are you dismayed
• where is your confidence
• where is your hope

👉 Eliphaz’s understanding of God seems to be (v 4:7-21):

• the innocent don’t perish
• the upright aren’t cut off
• reap what you sow
• man can’t be in the right before God

👉 Eliphaz did something that we often do – he equated pain with punishment (v 5:17).

We see this similar mindset in John 9 when, seeing a man blind from birth – the disciples asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

I love Jesus’ answer. “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Pain is not always punishment. Sometimes, it is an opportunity to display the power of God. To show to a watching world that we believe the things we have said about God. To live out in our pain what we have preached to others in their pain.

👉 Eliphaz’s praises of God (v 5:9-16)

• does great and marvelous things
• waters the earth
• lifts the lowly
• frustrates the crafty
• saves the needy
• gives hope to the poor

👉 Eliphaz seemed to believe that, if Job would accept his current trials as punishment (v 5:20-26), he would:

• be redeemed from death
• not fear destruction
• experience peace
• have many offspring
• live to a ripe old age

Eliphaz said some good things. He recognized Job’s good deeds and listed some true things about God.

But, as one commentator said, “Eliphaz had no right to judge Job’s response because he had no understanding of his pain.” And, I would add, he certainly had no right to speak on God’s behalf regarding the “why” behind the pain.

This is a good “how not to comfort your friend” passage. 😉

Happy Tuesday!

#job #biblestudy #biblejournaling #faith #intheword #wordbeforeworld