In my Women’s Bible Study we have been studying the book of Job. We are really just getting started and God has begun to show me new highlights about Job that I never knew before. Don’t you love when God does that? You are simply reading the Word of God and something jumps off the page at you and smacks you in the face in a good way.
This week I was “digging deeper” taking in how Job lost everything in one days time. His faith stood strong. As I read a little further, it says that his three friends left everything behind to go and be with their friend. When they saw him they did not recognize him. Yes, Job was covered with horrible boils from his head to his toes, and he was in severe grief from the amount of loss he had suffered in such a short amount of time. And as he grieved he sat in ashes. His friends sat next to him in the ashes for seven days straight saying nothing to him. This was their way of comforting him.
Yes, I know in further chapters down the road his friends don’t use wisdom when speaking to Him. Their tongues got in the way. But in Job Chapter 2 they had come alongside to be there to comfort and sympathize with Job without saying a word. As I thought about not speaking a word for seven days…wow, that says a lot about how they were trying to minister to their friend in his time of need.
As I read this two things came to mind. The first is sometimes when someone is suffering I feel like I need to fix their pain. That is not the case. God is the fix it, in ALL situations. I can be there for someone by embracing them with Gods love, but God does the fixing. The other thing that came to mind is a lot of times we only remember the negative things that our friends do. Every single person in this life will let us down, yes even our friends. The only one who won’t is God. We must choose to celebrate the things in friendship that are done before the Lord and when they are not, look at them as an opportunity to pray about.
When we are feeling stuck or insecure about situations in our life it is easy to be a finger pointer at other people. In my book, Big Girls DO Cry, I talk about this in Chapter 3,Maskerade. Job didn’t put on any masks, he suffered well before and with God knowing that NOTHING could separate him from the LOVE of GOD! Romans 8:39.
As you are walking in your community of friendships, I pray you don’t through the bath water out with the baby. There are many hurting people out there and you may be the only JESUS they see. I want to encourage you today to seek God in all your relationships and you wont go wrong!
Meghan Ryan Strong says
April 9, 2016 at 6:48 amLisa, you are such an inspiration to me. I love how God’s love shines through you in all you do & write.. God’s love pours out of you and it has since the moment I met you. Thank you for taking the time to pray with me when I called the church during a moment of weakness. I hope to follow close behind you in my walk with Jesus. Thank you for sharing and explaining this week’s Bible study so well. I’m excited to get my homework done this weekend before Monday nights group. Thank you for being the beautiful woman of God you are.
Lisa says
April 9, 2016 at 8:25 pmMeghan…you are a beautiful woman of God who shines for Jesus in ALL you do! I love your passion for JESUS and it is a JOY to call you my friend and sister in Christ. It is always a JOY to pray together and that day you were truly a blessing to me. I love how God knows what we need and when we need it, a divine appointment indeed! You are HIS and I am so very proud of you as you embrace the journey you are on!
Denise Shaver says
April 9, 2016 at 2:08 pmThank you my friend for the insight into Job. The Lord is really bringing it its truths to light for us through this study.
Lisa says
April 9, 2016 at 8:20 pmYes He is!!!! Amen, my friend! Love all that I am gleaning from God in this “meaty” chapter. God is so good!