This post is Day 11 in a series of studies about “Hope”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Hope – Day 11

The sufferings of Job are well known and his life is used as an example by many who have never read his full story, and some who do not even know he is a Biblical character. His sufferings were extreme, long and arduous. Worse than most of us can imagine.

Job 6:8-9

Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose His hand and cut off my life!

The Thought

Job’s sufferings are well known and his life is used as a proverbial example by many who have never read his full story, and some who don’t even know he is a Biblical character. His sufferings were extreme, long and arduous, and worse than most of us can imagine. Any one of the shocks Job received were enough to depress any ordinary person. We read in the first chapter that at satan’s request, which God granted, Job lost his children and all his property. Then the next chapter tells us of Job’s health problems.

There were many times when he prayed to die, asking God to end the misery for him. But that seemed to be a hope and prayer that God was definitely not answering.

One of Jobs fears was that, because of his misery at having lost his children and all his property, he would fall into sin by blaming and criticising God (Job 1:13-21). Criticising The Lord of all the earth was not something Job wanted to allow himself to do. He knew that God is an all-seeing, all-hearing Lord, and he was keeping any criticism far from his lips. But it was not easy, especially when his friends came to give him advice which was not welcome.

Action

Think about your circle of friends today, and pray for them.

Which of them would you go to in times of trouble?

Think about Job’s determination to not blame God for any of the bad things which were happening. Ask yourself if you are convinced that God only does good things, or if some of the tragedies of life are His doing too.

Pray for God’s help in understanding and fighting the evil in your part of our world.

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