Job and his three friends

Reading from

Job 3 to Job 31

It is obvious to me that there are two things happening.

1. There were strong debates between the three friends and Job.
2. Job was complaining to God and despising his own life.

(Please do read it, you can read how sometimes close friends can be a real pain to you)

So instead of encouraging Job, which was their initial intentions, Job's three close friends were mocking him. Accusing and discouraging Job, telling him that he should not complain so much, he must have done something wrong in the sight of God. Looking at this, sometimes as human, we are too quick to judge. Even with our close friends. We look at certain situations, we do not consider anything else but simply just assume and jump to conclusions that it must be someone's fault. Do we even bother to listen to that person's explanation, or try to understand his sitaution? No. We just want to judge and we want to be right! That was exactly what the three friends wanted. They wanted to be right and they felt superior and right to judge. All these defeated their initial purpose of visiting Job. Instead of encouraging him, they became a pain and heartache to him, they became the source of discouragements to Job. Note that there will be such people in our lives, that in our time of pain and need, they will add salt to the wound, instead of encouraging they would discourage....and worst, are the kinds who never rejoices with you in your good times but try to hurt you instead. Nonetheless, we cannot give up because of this. Giving up and succumbing to discouragements is indeed A CHOICE.

Now look at Job, as I have said in the earlier post, it would be understandable that he complains and blames  God and rant. Lo and behold, finally, Job could not take it any longer. Even though he defended God when his wife cursed God, he was already really upset and disappointed with life. Its only natural. He was also a human with feelings, and Job sort of starated complaining to God about his suffering. Note that complaining and blasphemying are two different things. When you curse God and accuse God of untrue things, you sin. But when you complain, it is simply ranting of emotion, and you may not have sinned! Job spent a lot of his time, justifying that he had kept his integrity, he had not sinned when his friends accused him. Job kept complaining. And he felt that he had the rights to complain seeing the situations that he was going through. Putting ourselves in his shoes....is it understandable that he complains? Yes....but was it appropriate? Of course not! Job was so overwhelmed by his situation that he forgot the need to stand in reverence, in awe, and in respect before God. He began to doubt and lose faith about life! Job felt not justified for. Many times we are like Job when we go through sufferings, and trials.This whole portrayal display a very human side of human. The emotions, the anger, the self-pity. So some of you might say....oh so Job finally becomes unfaithful! No....he did not. These are two different things. Complaining is one, acting on complaints and decide to be unfaithful and sin, is another. Job complained to God, but he still submit to God, he did not curse God nor did he decide to leave God. So that is the difference between faithfulnes and being emotional with God.

Nonetheless, was it a mistake to be so impatient and unhappy with God? Yes.....Therefore, Job in all his miseries, did a mistake, but is still faithful to God...reading on the next chapter, I really love what Elihu said after that. He was the one that corrected Job as well as the so called wise men who are Job's friends. Though he was young, but the spirit of God within him gives him wisdom and knowledge to speak and correct people who are supposingly older and wiser than him. I will continue this in the next post. Meanwhile do read the arguments between Job and his friends, and God.  It is pretty real and interesting. You find yourself very much relatable to Job and also to his friends.

Enjoy reading! :))