Questioning Your Doubts by Powell Christina M. H.;

Author:Powell, Christina M. H.; [Powell, Christina M. H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Published: 2014-10-10T00:00:00+00:00

When comforting a friend experiencing loss and tragedy, the restraint to “keep from speaking” can be the best gift you offer. However, Eliphaz could not resist the opportunity to instruct the instructor, to counsel the counselor and to place the blame for these tragedies at the feet of Job.

While Eliphaz said good things about the need to turn to God and pray for relief, his message only brought Job more sorrow. Now to all his other losses Job could add the loss of his friends’ belief in his integrity. When ministering to someone who has suffered hardship, consider the lesson of Eliphaz. Resist the urge to offer solutions to imagined problems. Do more listening than speaking. Realize your presence is more valuable than your advice.

The next friend to share his thoughts with Job was Bildad. Bildad offered sound theology about the just nature of God. He exhorted Job to trust that God would restore him and clothe Job’s enemies in shame. Job acknowledged that Bildad’s words were true. However, Job knew from experience that life cannot be tied up into a neat theological bow. Suffering comes to both the righteous and the wicked. Furthermore, no one is truly righteous and able to stand before a holy God without an arbitrator, or Savior.

The lesson from Bildad is to avoid offering someone a simple answer to a complicated problem. Bildad’s words rang true in the long run; God gave Job a double portion of all he had before his tragedies. In the rush to comfort someone, we can make the mistake of skipping past the messy aspects of life to get to the happy ending. Real life does not proceed in a straight line from trouble to resolution. Each person must make the journey through sorrow on that person’s own timetable. We can offer encouragement, but we should not expect people to alter their emotions until they are ready. Job needed to work through his frustrations and his sadness before he moved to hope and confidence.

Zophar weighed in with his take on Job’s situation after the two other friends had spoken. He treated Job as if he were an arrogant man who needed to repent of his sins to regain God’s blessings. While Zophar upheld the omnipotence and justice of God, he showed no compassion to his friend. You can hear a tinge of smugness in Zophar’s tone. He is feeling superior to Job as he lectures him on the power of God.

Job had the perfect response to all three of his friends.

Doubtless you are the only people,

and wisdom will die with you!

But I have a mind as well as you;

I am not inferior to you.

Who does not know all these things?

I have become a laughingstock to my friends,

though I called upon God and he answered—

a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!

Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune

as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. (Job 12:2-5)

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