We all have had them in our lives, those very hard, difficult Jobs. Not jobs, like where we work, but Jobs, like in the Bible. Those people for whom life seems to be falling apart and, although we would like to, we really don’t know how to help them. What do I say? Should I go see them? Should I just give them space? And when I do try to help it just seems to make things worse.
I just finished reading the Book of Job for like the 50th time. It’s a hard book. It doesn’t come with a happy ending. It’s not wrapped up in a nice red bow at the end. But there are some lessons for us about being Jobs and dealing with them.
Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/HgMhwt_bntk
And here are the notes:
First, difficult times come to good people and bad. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (I really wish He would have left that one out.) He also says, “It rains on the just and the unjust.” Matthew 5:45 Learn to make space in your life for pain. Hard times will happen.
When they do, discouragement is bound to happen. It is a natural reaction. But despair doesn’t have to. If Job does anything wrong in this story it is that he just gives up on God. “I wish I had never been born.” “These days will never end.” Listen, when life is hard you are going to get discouraged and even depressed. Don’t let the devil beat you up about that. But you so not have to give up. You do not have to give in to despair. “My hope is built on nothing LESS than Jesus’s blood and righteousness.”
So, how do handle the Job in your life? Here are 5 things I see in this story.
- Just show up. His friends come. They don’t know what to do or what to say but they show up. This is the “ministry of presence.” Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry one another’s burdens.” You don’t have to have the right words. There probably aren’t right words. But just being there matters. Go to the funeral home. Stop by the hospital. Take somebody to lunch. Just show up.
- When you do, the less you say the better. Job’s friends just sit with him for a week or so. In fact, when they start talking the whole thing falls apart. Just be there and say as little as possible. Read a Psalm. Say a prayer. Hold their hand. Nothing you say is really going to change anything. So don’t say much.
- That leads me to this, don’t expect to change things. You aren’t the knight in shining armor. In fact, when you try to be you make it more about you than about them. Don’t think you are going to fix it. That takes a lot of pressure off of you and a lot of pressure off of them.
- Remember it is not personal. Let me tell you the truth, Jobs are hard to be around. They are hurting and hurt people hurt people. Whatever you say, they will turn it against you. Be quiet and they will be mad at that. Just don’t take it personal. Your job is just to be present.
- Finally, avoid passing judgment. In our desire to help fix things we often look for reasons and reasons can come across as blame or judgment. Job’s friends say some pretty good things at the beginning. Then they start judging. “You must have sinned to make this happen.” Just be there. Don’t say much. Don’t get offended. And don’t judge.
Well, here are some good observations from the Book of Job.
God is in charge. This whole thing makes no sense to me. I still don’t understand this story. But I do see that God is large and in charge and I will leave it at that.
God will work it all out. I hold on to this verse like it is a lifeline in a raging sea, “We KNOW that all things work together for GOOD for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 I don’t have any answers for my Job but I do know that God is in control and God doesn’t make mistakes.
Finally, God always forgives. The story ends with these words, “And God accepted Job’s prayer.” He forgave Job. He forgave Job’s friends. His great desire is to bring us back to Him. Hold on to that when there is nothing else to hold on to.
