I am reminded of Job's experiences. Many of you have read my study on Job, and I thank you for the wonderful comments you have sent me. Most believers have heard about Job's adventures and trials; about how all of hell came against him to break his devotion of his God.
During his suffering and the attacks of his friends (well they didn't think they were attacking him, they were trying to help him. Anyway, eventually Job admits that he didn't have any specific word from God during his deep trial, it seemed that whichever way he moves—forward, backward, to the left or to the right, he couldn't perceive a trace of his God's presence or His workings.
It was this "hiding" of God that caused the bitterest pain of all; but it was useless laboring to find Him when He withdrew Himself. No agonizing in prayer or writhing in self-effort can compel Him to unveil His face when He hides Himself in thick darkness. Have you experienced this? Or, are you now experiencing this.
Whatever his friends may have thought about it, even though they called Job's complaint rebellion, Job was determined to hold to his convictions. The Lord "has broken him down on every side," and there is no possibility of "keeping up appearances" now. God has hidden Himself from him, and he does not know why!
However, Job's faith was anchored! "But if I can't see God, He can see me!" If I don't know the path He is leading me in, He knows it and that is enough. He has placed me in the crucible of trial, and when the fire has done its work, He will bring me forth as gold.
In spite of all the suffering and the complaining, Job's endurance, of what was almost unendurable to a human being, helps us to see again and again how Job was really made to understand his position by the inner teaching of the Spirit of God. All the way through this story, we can see the division between the inner and the outer man through the language he uses.
As we listen to his outpourings of grief, it seems as if his spirit was lost in the bitter cries of his flesh. Yet again and again his spirit breaks out in a tenacity of faith, which assured him, in the face of outward circumstances, he is still in the hand of God.
It is said of Abraham that:
"When hope was dead within him, he went on hoping in faith . . . With undaunted faith he looked at the facts . . . yet he refused to allow any distrust of a definite pronouncement of God to make him waver. He drew strength from his faith, and, while giving the glory to God, remained absolutely convinced that God was able to implement his own promise. This was the 'faith' which was counted unto him for righteousness."
At the moment of deepest despair—when he is driven to an agonized cry to his friends for pity—Job's spirit broke out in triumphant faith in the Living God. His faith was again anchored on the Rock. Even when his friends dealt with him as a transgressor, he was able to steadfastly rest in the faithfulness of God, and to understand what the Lord was doing with him.
Are you becoming frustrated and confused? Are you becoming overwhelmed with "life?" Well, like Job, just remember that gold is always purified by fire. You have already learned the need for sacrifice for the remission of sins, but now understand that there is also a trial by fire for the "gold" of God's chosen, and true gold will stand the fire and only lose the dross.
In the case of Job, he was eventually able to see his Redeemer as his heavenly Vindicator, and his spirit began to rest in a calm assurance and dependence on God. He knew now that the Lord was only trying him; not punishing him as his friends were saying–and you keep telling yourself.Walk free of it, my friends, walk free of it and celebrate Life with your Messiah.
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