The Devotional - 40

The Devotional

Comment:

Being in control is constantly on the mind, even when teaching someone a certain step at work or in school you may hear them say “I know, I know!” It is only when you say, “okay if you know go ahead and do it”, do you find out that they do not know what you know. The process of learning always goes beyond the academic stage, it is not until we have practiced and failed and practiced again, then we become practical (useable) even molded for the potter’s use. For many, even many so called learned or qualified people they are not practiced or practical. Certainly we crossed this path earlier in the book of Job, the friends of Job are religious, but without application and practice in counseling. If you are a friend of someone who is suffering, most likely you know some things about the person. This does not qualify you to counsel, but it does qualify you to comfort. If one’s integrity will not budge, do not keep poking around in the ashes of the past to find some charred bit of information. This will only alienate you from your friend and cause your friend to doubt his or her purpose in life which is to glorify God.

Challenge: Job 22 - 23

Eliphaz gets another opportunity, my paraphrase here “Job, who do you think you are, can a man like you be of benefit to God. Can even a wise man like you benefit God? Come on now Job, is not your wickedness great on the earth? Why, Job even your own false piety rebukes you, admit it your sins are endless! You demand interest charges from your brothers, you take the clothing right off their back, you deprive them of water and you withhold from them their daily bread. Look Job you are a powerful man, owning land and honored among all the living, yet you send widows away from you empty handed, the orphan you crush and make them your slave. This Eliphaz says is the snares that have crippled you and this is why the perils of life have frightened you. 

Now suppose you were suffering and a friend spoke to you in this way about your personal life? Read the rest of chapter 22 and note that Eliphaz does not let up on Job but continues to pound away at Job’s hope and integrity.

Chapter 23 – Job speaks, his hope and his integrity is shaken and Job finds his thoughts are now on unstable ground. He cannot locate the LORD God as he once did, he is not sure that he even knew God in times past. Only if he could find God, he could show Him that he keeps His commands that he (Job) was truly upright even though the decree of suffering and loss is heavy and even though He (God) has many such plans of suffering in store for him. I am terrified says Job when I think that what is said by Eliphaz; that he could be right.

Folks, if there is counsel it is not that spilling from the mouth of Eliphaz, these words can destroy a friend or coworker. Do not be found guilty before God or man of this sort of advice.

I will be stopping here after a few more words, but counsel like that of Eliphaz is not counsel, but it is the wicked attack on one’s personal life. God never ordains anyone to rip the integrity and hope from the heart of another individual.