The purpose of trials: Part 1
So many of us, and those we know are going through some tough times. So many of us are going through some kind of trial or tribulation. Many blame God for what they feel are punishments or wrongs being done in their lives. I think this misconception comes from a general lack of understanding of the place of trials and tribulation in our lives. And not acknowledging the many benefits, they provide. We need to stop being so selfish in our thinking, and truly submit to the Will of our Father. By doing so we will submit and truly serve, and learn to love our fellow man. Not everything is about us as individuals. It is supposed to be about the Will of God. Through this article I hope to put all of our minds at ease. By showing what our trials are really all about, what they are for, and how we are to use them. So many may be surprised to learn that trials are not meant just as a punishment, but a blessing. So many of the blessings God provides, are misunderstood, and are in fact under appreciated. We rejoice at healing, and revelation, but what about the trials that strengthen us, or give us insight. We will be looking at the true blessings behind our trials throughout this article.
The History of Job
Many of us know or are at least familiar with the history of Job. And in this article we are going to discuss an overview of the Book of Job. Let’s start of with a little history or what is thought to be known of the Book of Job. Many scholars believe the Book of Job to be the earliest book in the Bible to be written. Now this should at least give it some significance. One of the very first writings inspired by the Holy Spirit was to give us a better understanding of God, and the place of trials in our lives. I think we should all give Job a good read and really study what is going on.
Now the Book of Job is one of the best Books to study when we are going through hard times. If nothing else it gives us the ability to see, that no matter what we are going through, it could always be worse. And if this is all that you get from it then it was at least worth the read right? But we can’t allow ourselves to stop there. There is so much that the Book of Job has to teach us about the purpose of trials in our lives.
The Story of Job
Right off the bat we see that Job was a righteous man, perfect, and God fearing.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and turned aside from evil
This is very significant and it must be remembered to put things in context. Job did not deserve the tribulation he is about to face. These trials are not a punishment for his sins. But they did in fact have a purpose.
Now as we read on in the Book of Job. Satan has been given permission to test Job in verses six thru twelve. Verse six starts with a council held in Heaven to which Satan was present. When God asks Satan where he has been, and he answers. “From going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it’. He is blatantly stating that he owns the world and all who are in it. He is cocky and arrogantly stating his victory over fallen man, and the fallen world. But God brings up the one righteous man in the earth, Job. He states that none is like him in all the earth. In saying this God is letting satan know he has no hold on this man. In the process of this confrontation Satan issues a challenge to God, he states that he can control even this man if given the chance. He points out that of course he hasn’t turned from God. God has blessed him and protected him because of his true heart for obedience. And states plainly if he would but remove that protection, and let Satan test him, he would turn away from the Will of God. It starts just as it starts with most of us, by taking our possessions. Satan states plainly that he knows the heart of man. Man wants to own and possess. All he has to do is take away those possessions, then this man will curse him. Now take a moment to reflect over the trials most of us are going through.
So God gives Satan permission to test Job. But he is not allowed to afflict his person. He cannot touch Job himself. So Satan goes forth and in what can be described as one of the worst periods of time any man could go though. Job begins to lose all that he has. And in verses threaten thru nineteen goes on to tell us that he losses all of his livestock, wealth, servants, and finally his family. Leaving him, only his wife.
Now take a moment and take this in, just like on the Holy days, the appointed feasts of God. Imagine yourself in Jobs shoes. Imagine you haven’t just lost your job but all your wealth. You have lost all your livelihood. You have lost you servants. Then to top it all off you have just lost all of your children. Let the waves of grief this must have caused wash over you. Imagine what our response would be. Now look at the petty trials many of us are going through, and see how they compare.
But unlike most of us, Job stopped and praised God. His first response was to worship and pray to the creator of all creation.
Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped,
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
In the midst of the greatest grief in his life Job worshiped. And acknowledge Gods sovereignty over his life. He blessed God. He didn’t question the Will of God. He did not sin. He did not blame God foolishly. Why do we so often ignore the history of Job when we go through our trials? Most of the time, our first response to loss, and grief, is to blame God. This is by definition sin. It is ignoring the Will of God. It denies the nature of whom our God is.
So we continue with the Story of Job. In Job 2:1 thru 2:7. Our Bible once again gives us an account of another council held in Heaven. To which Satan once again comes in the Presence of our Father. And in his arrogance he once again falsely proclaims his victory over man and the world. And God says well what about Job? Satan answers:
Job 2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Job 2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. Job 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
Satan basically answers with; well fine, maybe taking his possession wasn’t enough. You got me there. But if you afflict a mans flesh, take his health, then he will crumble.
Satan knows just what buttons to push to get to the children of God. Don’t forget he has been destroying man for a while now. And has control over almost all of the earth. His tricks haven’t changed much from then to now. But then again ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it right?”. So anyway its time to get back to the point. He says “I can still win this. Fine, so this one is special. He understands that all the stuff on the earth doesn’t matter. He understands that it all belongs to God. But if you hurt him physically. Then he will curse you to your face. Taking his possessions didn’t phase him but when you afflict there flesh all men will fold.”.
God gives Satan permission to afflict his flesh but not take his life. Satan then goes forth and afflicts Job with boils, painful sores that cover him from head to toe. Once again its time to use our imaginations. Imagine these sores. Imagine the constant pain. Not being able to eat or sleep. Being so afflicted you are unrecognizable. In such pain that you curse the day you were born.
What happens next is something I think allot of people miss.
Job 2:9 And his wife said to him, Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die
Here is his wife, not an evil woman. We can assume this because she is the wife of possibly the only truly righteous man on the earth. She is not evil. Satan rarely uses obviously evil people to do his work. He uses the every day, average people. He uses Church ladies, pastors, and deacons. Here satan used Jobs wife. She was not asking him to curse God out of vindictiveness. She was asking her husband to stop the suffering. Put yourself in her shoes. Here we have Job, her righteous husband. In more pain than most can even imagine, let alone endure. She was asking him to end his suffering. She wanted him to curse God to incur his wrath. Satan used the love of her husband to his own ends.
And even through all of this, Job would not sin.
Job 2:10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish ones speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Do not make the false assumption that meant that this was in anyway easy. Please read through chapter three. And really take the time to imagine the amount of pain this man was in. And once again compare your trials to Jobs.
I pray that we be given eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to change as we go forth to put these perspectives to the test of Scripture, and seek the Truth of God. And in this Truth may we find the true peace of God in our lives.
