The Patience of Job
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
We have heard the term the "patience of Job" used quite often in our lives. But sometimes the connotation is as if Job were standing by passively, as he was afflicted in every possible way. But if we remember Job agonized in his suffering, and wrestled with God as to why he was undergoing such trials. Yet in faith, he held firm when he says, "I know that my Redeemer lives and at the end he will stand on the earth!" Job cursed his friends for giving him trite cliches to try and comfort him. All Job had left after all that had happened to him was his faith.
As we are going through suffering it helps to know others have suffered before us and withstood the test of time. There is an end of suffering, though in the midst of suffering it seems endless. The worst kind of suffering is when we are alone in our suffering. Patience is not usually a trait most of us are very well versed in. When we suffer we are more interested in when it is going to be over, than what God is doing in it.
But at the end of the day suffering brings us closer, albeit sometimes through wrestling and questioning with God. Some see this as a lack of faith, but as you can see it as process where our faith is made stronger. Where are you suffering today? What are some examples that you can go to which encourage you to be patient in your suffering? How does your suffering help you to identify with others who are suffering? Remember, in the end, Jesus' suffering led to eternal life through his death and resurrection. As followers of Jesus we will all undergo different types of trials, but let us remember what Peter said to the early Christians,
12Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
1 Peter 4:12-13
We have heard the term the "patience of Job" used quite often in our lives. But sometimes the connotation is as if Job were standing by passively, as he was afflicted in every possible way. But if we remember Job agonized in his suffering, and wrestled with God as to why he was undergoing such trials. Yet in faith, he held firm when he says, "I know that my Redeemer lives and at the end he will stand on the earth!" Job cursed his friends for giving him trite cliches to try and comfort him. All Job had left after all that had happened to him was his faith.
As we are going through suffering it helps to know others have suffered before us and withstood the test of time. There is an end of suffering, though in the midst of suffering it seems endless. The worst kind of suffering is when we are alone in our suffering. Patience is not usually a trait most of us are very well versed in. When we suffer we are more interested in when it is going to be over, than what God is doing in it.
But at the end of the day suffering brings us closer, albeit sometimes through wrestling and questioning with God. Some see this as a lack of faith, but as you can see it as process where our faith is made stronger. Where are you suffering today? What are some examples that you can go to which encourage you to be patient in your suffering? How does your suffering help you to identify with others who are suffering? Remember, in the end, Jesus' suffering led to eternal life through his death and resurrection. As followers of Jesus we will all undergo different types of trials, but let us remember what Peter said to the early Christians,
12Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
1 Peter 4:12-13
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