Suffering, pt 3

The wise person uses wise words when is crisis or conflict.

The bottom has dropped out for Job.  The closest person to him in his life has turned against God.  She, his wife, has declared that the way of faithfulness does not work, and that he must give up.  She seems to see God as neglectful or evil, in what has come upon her and her husband.  

Job does not reject his wife.  

Job does not condemn his wife.  Job speaks the truth in love, with wisdom.  Wise words lift someone up.  Wise words call someone higher.  Wise words say, "you are better than that behavior, so come up higher and let that go."  

Job tells his wife, "you are talking like a foolish woman".  Notice that he does not call her a fool.  Satan would love for you to call your spouse or your neighbor a fool or an idiot.  The way of wisdom and the way of love is to rather say that they are behaving foolishly or idiotically.  We also get deceived into talking to our selves with condemning self-talk.  We curse others and ourselves when we accuse or pronounce curse words upon people or our selves.

Job's wife lacks discernment.  

Job does not have heaven's perspective, but he is faith-ing it.  He discerns a big God and small problems.  He discerns a faithful God, even while he is in calamity.  She does not have this discernment.  Job is wise in evaluating that his wife isn't there yet, that she is in process.

You can engage God, even fiercely and not sin. 

Job did not give up on God.  Job did not leave the service of God.  Job did not quit life.  Job, in all his trouble, still had something to live for.  Job did not sin with his words.

The key is facing God.  

Remember the story about seeing Jesus face.  That is they key.  The people  closest people to you in your life may make a strong case against you and against God, in regards to what you are suffering.  Will you face God and believe God no matter what?  That is what Job did.  Face God in whatever you are facing.  

"Job faces toward God with anguish, puzzlement, anger, and bitter complaints, but never turns his back on him to the march off - godless - into the dark night." (NIV Study Bible, notes)