Job 1:6-12, 20-22
“6.One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
7.The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
8.Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9.”Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.
10.”Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
11.But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12.The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
20.At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship
21.and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
22.In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
The Book of Job addresses the profound suffering of humanity and God's justice within it. It particularly explores how God's righteousness manifests amidst the unfair realities of human suffering, the suffering of the righteous, and the prosperity of the wicked.
Our lives are full of unpredictable events, leading to various difficulties. Job's suffering is extreme, yet our own hardships can feel just as overwhelming. What matters most is our fundamental attitude towards suffering. Even if we cannot resolve our suffering immediately, we must trust God amidst it. This trust stems from our faith in who God is and our reliance on Him.
The Book of Job questions what God's justice looks like in human suffering. God is a God of grace, and our response to His grace is crucial. This response reflects our faith. Sometimes, incomprehensible situations can strengthen our faith. Faith involves trusting God and accepting His grace. We must see God as the source of life and the fundamental value of everything, accepting ourselves and the entire world in His love and grace. This is the true rationality that the Bible demonstrates.
What will we choose in our suffering today? Will we succumb to resentment, curses, and thoughts of revenge, or will we choose trust in God, offering praise and gratitude? Our lives are constantly at this crossroads. By looking to God's grace and choosing a life of praise, we can shift our focus from asking "why" to considering "how" to live through our suffering.
Prayer: Lord, we seek to praise You and view the world through faith, focusing on Your faithfulness, promises, goodness, and loving grace. Let the Holy Spirit open our eyes and ears, and help us hear when You speak to our hearts. May we offer our decisions of faith through prayer today. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
Devotional content is available on the Our Daily Bread website.