Job and a Joyful Heart

– July 8, 2017 – 

What does it mean to have a joyful heart? As I’m reading this morning, bouncing back and forth through my bible, I come across Job. Job is truly an amazing character in the bible. Job and Jesus are very similar to each other. God allowed Satan to tempt each man to dishonor God Himself. God allowed Satan to take every possession of Job away from him violently, including his healthy skin with nasty boils.

Why did God do this? He did this for our sake. God knew Job’s heart, just like He knows our heart. God knew his friends and their intentions and insecurities, just like He knows ours. God also knew Satan, and having all control, reaffirmed his limitations that He set for Satan in the garden when Satan corrupted Eve. My friends, The story of Job is totally for our sake!

When we have troubles, we should be so blessed to have friends that would sit and console us and help us understand, but we must protect our ears from their negativity of judgement and opinion. “It is human nature to blame people for their own troubles, but Job’s story makes it clear that blame cannot always be attached to those whom trouble strikes.” (footnote explain action of Job 5:8 NASB)

We should find this reassuring. God allows Satan to tempt all the earth, how we react is our choice. Job chose to react by unwavering trust in God. I tend to react by retreating and sulking. I want to be more like Job, trusting and patient for God’s wisdom and answers. Job’s friend Eliphaz knew, “For anger slays the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple;” as well as “…man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.”(Job 5:2,7) Sin is that louder voice inside directing our reactions to become actions.

If we put our trust in God, He will give us a friend with wisdom. Job’s youngest friend, Elihu, was the most wise. Rather than blaming, he eloquently and passionately affirmed that God was allowing Job’s suffering to mold him into a better man, and to train us, that Satan has limits.

Friends, this is longer than normal, but we we need to understand, having a joyful heart means that we know God  has our back, and that Satan has limits. “Sing to Him a new song” (Psalm 33:3) and rejoice knowing that, “…greater is He who is within you than he(Satan) who is in the world.”(1 John 4:4) Blessing to you my friends.

(Photos of Our Daily Bread daily devotionals)