Lessons On Affliction From Job

This was from church this past week...

When we cannot comprehend the good and wise purposes of God in affliction or evil, we should not respond in these ways:


1. We should not curse God for evil that occurs in our lives or in the world (Job 2:9)

2. We should not blame God for wrong-doing. God alwys does what is right (Job 40:8)

3. We should not doubt God's perfect wisdom, or His mighty power, or His abiding love.

4. We should not neglect God due to confusion or frustration in the midst of our affliction.

5. We should not absolve God from ultimate responsibility for all that happens in the world, including all affliction, devastation, calamity and evil (Ephesians 1:11)

When we cannot comprehend the good and wise purposes of God in affliction or evil, we should respond in these ways:

1. We should praise God in and for the affliction (Job 1:21, 1 Thes. 5:18, Eph. 5:20)

2. We should accept the adversity God brings into our lives and into our world. We must be humble before Him in the face of such affliction (Job 2:10)

3. We should examine our hearts to consider whether it might be the case that our own sin has brought this affliction as divine discipline. If so, we should repent. But if not, examine what lessons the Lord has for you though the affliction.

4. We should pray earnestly, seeking God's merciful deliverance from the afflictions. (2 Cor 12 - Paul's thorn)

5. We should enlist the lasting afflictions of our lives for the good and wise purposes God has in and through, and not apart from, them.

6. We should work to relieve unjust suffering of others.

7. We should remember that Christ endured the greatest affliction possible - all the sin and guilt and pain and suffering of the world, and even more, God's full wrath against our sin - and look to Him who understands the depth of suffering far more than we could ever experience.

8. We should entrust to God the certain judgment & justice that He will bring about for immoral and evil actions (1 Peter 2:23)

9. We should hope & rejoice that because Christ has conquered all sin and evil, in our lives and in the whole created order, we await a day free from all tears, all sadness, all pain, and all suffering, a life filled with endless joy and glad satisfaction in all that God has for us in Christ.

10. We should value the magnification of the glory of God above all else, including above the well-being, health or happiness of His creatures.

Conclusion: "When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart" - know God in the good days so you have strength of soul and conviction to withstand the challenges of difficult days.