Confidence and Hope

August 13

Job 4-5

Psalm 90:13-17

Proverbs 20:12-13

2 Corinthians 3

Confidence and Hope

“Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.  Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees.  But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;  it strikes you and you are dismayed.  Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?”  Job 4:3-6  NIV

Eliphaz was one of Job’s good friends.  He came to support him in this difficult time he was facing.  His intentions were good and he was trying to be an encouragement.  Unfortunately, he did not have an accurate understanding of suffering.  Job’s friends believed that his suffering was a result of sin and if Job would just confess it, then God would forgive him and things would get better.  He did not have the benefit of the full story so he did not know that Job’s suffering had nothing to do with sin or disobedience, but rather Job was being tested because of his faithfulness.  Job was a godly man and he tried to live a life that was pleasing to God.  Eliphaz spoke about Job’s faithfulness in teaching and discipling others over the years.  He had strengthened and supported those who stumbled.  He had been an encouragement to many people and had helped to strengthen their faith.  He was a leader in the faith and many people looked up to him, but he was human just like the rest of us.  God had allowed Satan to take away his children, his possessions and even his health and it all happened in an incredibly  short amount of time.  He was facing unimaginable loss, grief, and pain.  It would frankly be unusual if he did not react in despair and heartache.  For Eliphaz to suggest that he should just suck it up and be strong is incredibly insensitive. 

I am very glad God included the book of Job in the Bible because it is an accurate description of life in a fallen world with a fallen nature.  No matter how faithful and spiritually mature we are, we are not immune to difficulties that can cause despair and bring us to the point where we want to give up.  Thankfully, our heavenly Father loves us and meets us right where we are.  We don’t have to pretend to be strong for Him.  He knows our hearts.  He sees our pain.  He understands where we are.  When we don’t have the strength to stand, He will carry us.  He is right there with us in the depths of our despair and He will walk with us to the other side.  Job poured out his heart to God and God brought him to a clearer understanding of who He is.  Job came out of his difficulty with a deeper faith and commitment to God.  Eliphaz was accurate in his assessment that the fear of God is our confidence.  An accurate understanding of who God is always leads to a greater faith and hope, but the process by which we get to that understanding is in God’s hands.  It is not something we can get to by our will and determination.  Pour out your heart to God and allow Him to meet your deepest needs and increase your confidence and hope.