March 10, 2023

Passage Read: Job 33-36
Meditation Verse: 36:13

Thought

Elihu is rougher on Job than any of Job's friends. He is brutal in his assessment of Job. Because of that he is far off the mark of understanding what Job is suffering and what God is doing. But this statement, that the godless harbor resentment, so that even when they are undergoing punishment, they will not call to God for help, this is insightful. Resentment against God, whether acknowledged or pinned to others, keeps a sinner from humbling himself before God and crying out for help. He is bitter against God, so why would he ask God for help when trouble comes his way? That trouble is one more thing to (rightly) blame God for. His problem is that he doesn't understand why he must suffer; he doesn't understand that God's goal is his repentance and restoration. He thinks all bad things are signs that he is hated instead of loved....

Application

This is such a hard perspective to gain. We naturally think anything bad is the result of hatred for us, any trouble that comes on us is because "somebody" has it in for us. We have a hard time understanding that only those who hate us bring us trouble out of hatred; those who love is bring us trouble because we didn't learn from gentle guidance, because we have something in error that we're not willing to see or correct. Those who love us bring hard things on us because they love us and want to help us grow in right ways. And if I can trust that God loves me, then even the trouble from those who hate me, He can bring good from.