Exercising Faith… Even In (ESPECIALLY IN) A Job Kind of Day…
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Faith is not just a casual, “I believe it.”
It’s not just a response to a “must do” to be saved.
It’s not a tool of manipulation to force God to love you.
Hebrew 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
This Hebrew word bears the characteristics of trustworthiness, loyalty, the knowledge and reliance on God’s guarantee of the FACTS of God.
Hope is not a wimpy “maybe”, but a settled, written in stone, is/was/and always will be conviction of things not seen!
Our world laughs as it shouts, “We’ll believe it when we see it!” Those of us who know Jesus as our Messiah (the One who saves!), shout with joy that, “We see because we know God!”
Not just knowing ABOUT God, we must do the work of faith by investing our belief in every area of our life and it’s events… use faith or lose it! Or as James puts it… Faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)
You believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him… so what?! You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (James 2:19) But, are you willing to recognize that faith that isn’t tested (being built, trained, disciplined, displayed in the character and events of your life), is useless for convincing others and probably even yourself, that it is INDEED God who is at work in you (and me) both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2: 13)
The works I’m talking of are not to show off our “goodness”. They’re not even the times you didn’t disobey one or more of the ten commandments.
Most of us want to believe we are “good person”… but if we were to be honest with ourselves… we want goodness to cost very little, require us to do very little, and never call us to a long term contract. In other words, “Easy Peasy”!
The works I’m talking about are like Abraham our father, who showed the depth and quality of his faith, by his works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar. You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. (James 2:21-23)
Or the works like our friend Job when he was having “A Job Kind of Day”!
Job… There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (Job 1:1-3) He had a NICE life.
Job…His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “ Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. (Job 1:4-5) A great father, family man, and intercessor.
Job… known by God… and claimed by God as His possession… Job 1:8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
Yeah, yeah! ONLY because you pamper him and make his life easy, peasy! But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” Job 1:11-12
So begins the testing of Job’s metal, his faith in God, by his works in response a life turned upside down. Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.”
Notice here that it is NOT God who needs or wants the “proof” of how good Job is at being God’s “faithful” servant. Also notice that Satan does not want “proof”, he wants Job’s failure and he wants God to initiate the test.
He, Satan, wants God to be to blame for the “bad things that happen to good people”, God simply says (in my take on the conversation), “You’re the hater who hates Me. You may test Job by causing him to suffer, but it is I, the God of love, who rules over his life and death… Give it your best shot, fire away!”
So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Within moments Job became the model for the WORST DAY EVER (Job 1:14-19) and we are still only in the first chapter of testing /exercising of Job’s faith!
Mmmm! What grade would I score if it was my faith being tested IN THIS WAY?
Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” As human efforts go, score A+ for Job.
Chapter 2… The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” (Job 2:3)
“Yeah, yeah, but let’s see when it’s his own flesh that is tormenting him EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!” (John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.)…
So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” BOOM! Not only is Job suffering grief over the tremendous loss, now his whole body is consumed with pain.
Enter the friends and family of Job whom I do believe wanted to help and encourage Job. (should have STAYED SILENT!) Like most of us, they focused on what “could be” the reason for all this. Because, like most of us they believed if the core issue were to be solved then God would certainly relent and STOP this bad stuff from happening. Like most of us, Job’s encouragers (and come to find out, Job too) thought that we have control and therefore power over the events of our lives. So began the doctrinal studies and lectures of what God could possibly be DOING and why.
“Are you SURE, Job, that this isn’t some kind of punishment for some past, present or future sin in your life? Are you SURE, Job, that you have missed and/or failed to honor and obey God? Are you SURE, Job, that pride is not the reason you cannot pray this away? Are you SURE, Job, are even praying?”
It is man’s nature to make it all about MAN. Even Job began to imagine that, IF HE JUST HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, he would convince God that he deserved His mercy and grace.
Pain, and suffering, grief and discouragement, disappointment and frustration, will all do damage to our faith in what we believe, if our faith is not tested – built, trained, fired in the furnace of life, disciplined, and practiced in real life events.
We want to focus on (and blame) the challenge that Satan made with God, and the idea that God was concerned with convincing Satan he was wrong. How could God be so cavalier about Job in a game of poker, using Job and his well-being as the currency, just to put Satan in his place?
I don’t believe this was/is or will be God’s focus EVER!
God is good all the time and all the time God is good! God CANNOT be anything but good!
Like Joseph discovered when his life was tossed into the pit… Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
When you’re having a Job kind of day… don’t let EVIL (or anyone else) take your eyes off God. Believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
SEEK God, not yourself, with all your might! Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
When you’re having a Job kind of day… exercise your faith even if you do it with blood, sweat, and tears.
Gird up your loins and meet God. (Job 38:2-3)
Be.Like.Job…Don’t instruct God! Know Him – Learn from Him – See Him – Confess to Him – Repent before Him. (Job 42:2-4)
The results you can count on for Job-like exercise of faith? The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; (Job 42:12-16)
You know his faith grew! Must have been somewhere between mustard seed and moving mountain ability after this. (Mine might be pea-sized… but still growing!
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.