Women in the Word

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1/07/2016 6:49 am  #11


Re: Job

TBG1 wrote:

It is me TBG.
.


My Dad died after several years of illness. It was not so hard on him as on my Mom. And I was terrified for my Dad's safety, daily worrying if he was going to seriously hurt himself. And I was heartbroken over my Mom's pain and anguish. The strain ended up contributing to serious health problems.

I don't know why God allowed his death to be drawn out like that. But I know I can be bitter or get better.
So, I decided that I have to learn from this and to redeem this situation by allowing it to transform me and change who I am and to go to another level if maturity and priority and commitment. I want to learn the lessons from this experience.

 
TBG- I am sorry for your loss and I can relate. My father died from cancer watching it was so difficult. It has been almost six years and the questions of why still plague me and I have to be on guard against bitterness.

I read in Matthew Henry commentary that "there may have been risings of corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand"

It is a comfort to think that maybe Job struggled in his heart- He was not perfect- but His belief was strong and His God (our God) won the battle.

Praying for you TBG.

 

1/07/2016 9:59 am  #12


Re: Job

esuzannah wrote:

RaneeS wrote:

Hi I'm Ranee,  I thought I would prefer to try this on a forum verses facebook.  Trying to get away from FB but I still need the interaction of people to do a bible study as a new beginner.  I was in a good group through the book of Numbers but I felt they were very advanced college level and I'm just in K. LOL So I primarily read my lessons in Numbers.  I'm going to try and get back on track soaking as well as reading.

My main observations have been primarily on why God let Satan goad him.  God didn't have to prove anything to Satan.  I'm not sure why he didn't just tell Satan to buzz off.  And I know there is a lesson in all of this of course but I felt sadness that God took away Job's children/family to prove this point to Satan.

 

Welcome Ranee, so happy to have you here! I came here for the same reason-need to try not to spend too much time on Facebook!

I have been sitting thinking about your comments. I also find it very sad. True, God had nothing to prove to Satan and He certainly could have told him to buzz of.....but God does have something to prove to us, doesn't He? When I read the stories of the Bible I often think wow- what a gift that we can learn from these people that lived before us. It is very sad that Job was tempted but God knew that he would stay strong and Job's reward was so much greater then what he had before. So I may be wrong but I can of see this as an expression of God's love for us. He wants us to learn too and he wants to bless us through our sufferings. He also wants to be glorified.
Another thought I had was Wow, Satan really has no power- He is chained. Imagine what he would do to us if he could? God is protecting us from him, in this very moment He is protecting us. I can see in this story His great love for us.

Those are excellent thoughts esuzannah.

Someone commented on Women Living Well (Good Morning Girls) post that sometimes we need everything stripped away so that we can rely on God. And that is right. Satan did not goad God. God is the one who initiated the dialogue. He said, have you considered my servant Job. God was directing this and in control and He had a specific purpose in mind for this.

In verse4:6 Job's friend says that Job's confidence was in his own righteousness. If this is true, maybe God needed Job to walk through this to learn to trust God more.

Remember this world is short, temporary and fleeting. The purpose of this world is to prepare us for the next. Tony Dungy, a legendary football coach, had a team that was having a great season and on its way to the super bowl. Well his son committed suicide right before the playoffs, while he took time off to be with his family and have the funeral, his hot team lost in I believe the first round of the playoffs.

Still a few weeks later, with his heart fresh and full of hurt he went to speak and the super bowl prayer breakfast. He spoke of how through is son's death many people came to Christ or rededicated their life to Christ. He said all these powerful spiritual things that will be of eternal, forever and ever, consequence happened from this temporary pain.

He said that if God told him that all these powerful things would happen and people's lives would be touched and souls redeemed, but that it would cost the life of his son, would he be willing to give his son's life up for that. He said, the answer is no, he would not have been willing to give his son for this. But then he want on to point out that there was someone who was willing, God. God did give His son.

Very powerful. But you see he got it, that 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Ultimately God's plans for us are beyond this life. I will post a new reply to continue this theme.
 

 

1/07/2016 10:06 am  #13


Re: Job

This is what I posted over at Good Morning Girls (Women  Living Well) on the intro post in response to a question about having difficulty reconciling God;s goodness to His allowing Job to suffer.

I don't think that I have easy answers to profound theological questions that people have been wrestling with for ages. But, I will say that I have thought on this issue for years and in studying the Bible it is clear that this world is not the goal, this is not the important or good things.

Look at Colossians 3; it says that we are dead and we cannot see our real life or our real identity. Only when Christ returns, then our true selves will be revealed.

1 Peter 1 says that we rejoice in the face of trials because we are receiving the end of our faith. The end means, the goal. And what is this goal? The goal is the salvation of our souls. That is the goal.

Paul says our afflictions are light and very fleeting in the face of eternity.And these trials and producing great and glorious things for all of eternity. He says we have to not look at temporal things, but at the invisible eternal things. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Ephesians 1 list all the amazing spiritual blessings God has lavished on us. Every spiritual blessing for all eternity. Regardless of this world, this is what we are blessed with.

So, it is not an issue of it being wrong for God to allow someone to suffer, because pleasure or comfort is not the goal. As I study I see the goal and purpose of life falling into 4 areas.

1) To conform us into the image of Christ - strengthen our walk, our faith, our character
2) To be a witness to others of God and bring Him glory by our life and response to life
3) To be used to share the gospel with and make disciples of unbelievers
4) To encourage and equip the saints

These are the purpose of life and suffering can be used to further these things.That is just my two cents and I hope it helps give some additional points for reflection and prayer.

It is hard sometimes when we cannot understand the paths we are taken down, especially hard and difficult paths. And I don’t believe suffering is always God’s perfect will, sometimes it is just His permissive will and a natural out flowing of a sinful word. Good and bad happen to good and bad people. This is a fallen world.

But I think the important thing is to trust the ultimate sovereignty, goodness and character of God and lean into Him, not away from Him. We cannot understand His ways, but we can choose to trust Him.

I love studying along with you ladies and I know some people are processing deep hurt and please know you have my heart and my prayers and I weep for you and do intend to give you "easy" solutions to wipe away deep pain but only to point you towards God in prayer and wrestling.

Last edited by TBG1 (1/07/2016 10:09 am)

 

1/07/2016 10:31 am  #14


Re: Job

Job 4

Scripture 4:6 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?

Observation
His friend makes this statement about Job. We don't know if it is true about Job or not. However, his friend accuses him of trusting in his own righteousness and integrity.

Application
It is a mistake to trust in our goodness and for our confidence to be in ourselves, our performance, our "holiness." Our goodness is like a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23-24, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9).

Scripture 4:7 Remember who that was innocent ever perished?

Again this is just the Bible documenting was Job's friend said. It is not truth or theology. And this statement is incorrect.

Look at the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 where the writer reminds us of some of God's most faithful servants and some of whom suffered tremendously. Specifically note Hebrews 11:35-38.
 

 

1/08/2016 9:51 am  #15


Re: Job

Thank you ladies for sharing your insights and knowledge.  I really appreciate it.  I love all the things you have pointed out.  As a new beginner there are so many words that I miss that make it all make sense.  For example, His Own Righteousness.  And I missed the part where God suggested Job.
Since I have started to study the bible, I find it so interesting how the bible ties itself all together.  Its all linked.

 

1/08/2016 11:26 am  #16


Re: Job

RaneeS wrote:

Thank you ladies for sharing your insights and knowledge.  I really appreciate it.  I love all the things you have pointed out.  As a new beginner there are so many words that I miss that make it all make sense.  For example, His Own Righteousness.  And I missed the part where God suggested Job.
Since I have started to study the bible, I find it so interesting how the bible ties itself all together.  Its all linked.

It is all linked; there is a common phrase that says scripture interprets scripture. So, we understand what a particular passage says by knowing what a lot if the rest of the Bible says. So as we continue to read the Bible over years it starts to make more sense. The mistake people make is stopping to read it because it does not make sense. But if they keep reading, it will eventually start making more sense.

 

1/08/2016 11:33 am  #17


Re: Job

LoriMI wrote:

TBG1 wrote:

It is me TBG. My computer crashed, I can't remember my password because it was saved. I can't even remember the password to my email to access it because it was saved.

So I think it is just my battery so I don't want to reset everything until I get it looked at tomorrow.

Job 3

He was in such great pain that he wished he was dead. That really touched me. He is just looking for anything that will give him rest and peace and alleviate his emotional and physical pain.

Job 3:25 For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,And what I dreaded has happened to me.

My Dad died after several years of illness. It was not so hard on him as on my Mom. And I was terrified for my Dad's safety, daily worrying if he was going to seriously hurt himself. And I was heartbroken over my Mom's pain and anguish. The strain ended up contributing to serious health problems.

I don't know why God allowed his death to be drawn out like that. But I know I can be bitter or get better.
So, I decided that I have to learn from this and to redeem this situation by allowing it to transform me and change who I am and to go to another level if maturity and priority and commitment. I want to learn the lessons from this experience.

Something I had never thought about before...  Your mention that is was harder on your mom than your dad (and what it was like for you), made me think of what Job's wife must have been going through.  She lost her children, her servants, her livestock, her source of income.  Everything Job lost, she lost.  She was grieving. And now she's watching her husband suffer greatly, wanting to die. When she is in need of comfort, he is with his friends.  To the best of our knowledge, she is all alone, quite possibly wallowing in bitterness.   Unlike Job, she did sin by wanting only the good things in life and wanting her husband to curse God because things weren't the way she wanted or expected.  What a difference the heart attitude makes!

So in all of that.... Good for you for wanting to be transformed through the difficulties of your father's death!  Love the heart attitude!  Thank you for sharing..
 

That is an excellent point. Sometimes we are so critical of Job's wife and criticize her for not being more faithful and supportive. But, we forget the deep pain and anguish she was in as well. We don't always respond perfectly when we are going through things like that.

 

1/08/2016 11:34 am  #18


Re: Job

esuzannah wrote:

TBG1 wrote:

It is me TBG.
.


My Dad died after several years of illness. It was not so hard on him as on my Mom. And I was terrified for my Dad's safety, daily worrying if he was going to seriously hurt himself. And I was heartbroken over my Mom's pain and anguish. The strain ended up contributing to serious health problems.

I don't know why God allowed his death to be drawn out like that. But I know I can be bitter or get better.
So, I decided that I have to learn from this and to redeem this situation by allowing it to transform me and change who I am and to go to another level if maturity and priority and commitment. I want to learn the lessons from this experience.

 
TBG- I am sorry for your loss and I can relate. My father died from cancer watching it was so difficult. It has been almost six years and the questions of why still plague me and I have to be on guard against bitterness.

I read in Matthew Henry commentary that "there may have been risings of corruption in his heart, but grace had the upper hand"

It is a comfort to think that maybe Job struggled in his heart- He was not perfect- but His belief was strong and His God (our God) won the battle.

Praying for you TBG.

Thank you for your words of support and I am also sorry about your Dad. But I like that quote, "grace has the upper hand." It almost makes me cry. We just have to rely on God to give us the grace to believe and have peace.
 

 

1/08/2016 11:42 am  #19


Re: Job

Job 5

It seems that Eliphaz rightly believes in God's justice and goodness, but jumps to conclusions in trying to apply this to Job. We just don't always have all the insight and don't always know what God is doing or why.

Sometimes when we tell people who are suffering that if they repent God will forgive them or that God is disciplining them, it can cause additional pain if that is not true. If they have done nothing wrong and if God does not need to discipline them. People saying this can just make them bitter and they dig into their "innocence" before God.

We should be very careful trying to diagnose why something is happening in the life of someone else. Better share general Biblical principles and let them prayerfully seek what God is doing through the situation.

Scripture 5:13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.

Even as a believer I can be tempted to manipulate and think about how I can plan things to my own benefit and agenda. It is easy to put our energies into self and how we can prosper and look good.

This is a good reminder that works of the flesh will be brought to an end. It is a good reminder to put energy, thoughts and efforts into serving God and serving others.

 

 

1/10/2016 4:49 pm  #20


Re: Job

Ladies, some really excellent conversations and input. This study is already exceeding my expectations.

Week of January 11, 2016
This Week’s Reading Assignment

 
S.O.A.K. any verse of your choosing.
Don't forget to check the introduction on Mondays and the devotional on Friday at Good Morning Girls.
 
Monday
Reading: Job 6
Verse of the Day: Job 6:24
Optional GMG Discussion Question: Job earnestly wants to know what he has done wrong and the lessons he needs to pull from this. Name a time when you struggled to find what God was trying to show you.
 
Tuesday
Reading: Job 7
Verse of the Day: Job 7:17
Optional GMG Discussion Question: Job is uncertain about his purpose in life because he is unable to see the big picture. Have you taken the time to discuss with God what your purpose is? What has He shown you?
 
Wednesday
Reading: Job 8
Verse of the Day: Job 8:20
Optional GMG Discussion Question: Bildad accuses Job of having some sort of secret sin. Have you ever been quick to judge someone? How can you make that right?
 
Thursday
Reading: Job 9
Verse of the Day: Job 9:4
Optional GMG Discussion Question: It's easy to become discouraged when we feel we are doing everything right and bad things still continue to happen. What are some ways that you can gain encouragement in those moments?
 
Friday
Reading: Job 10
Verse of the Day: Job 10:12
Optional GMG Discussion Question: It's easy to allow discouragement to turn into bitterness and self-pity. Share a verse that provides you with hope and encouragement in those difficult moments.

 

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