Yet Will I Trust Him

Someone once said “with friends like these, I don’t need enemies!”. When we are suffering, we often turn to friends and family for a sympathetic ear, comfort and support. But sometimes friends and family can cause us more pain because of judgment and a desire to assign blame. Regardless of whether we engage friends or family when we are suffering, we do well not to forget to engage with and hold on to our faith in God. He is our hope and our present help in times of trouble. Job’s story reminds us of that. In the scripture for this week (Job 8:1-10; 20-22), Job’s friend Bildad, who had come to “comfort” him, ended up making matters worse by accusing Job of some unidentified sin that must have caused his suffering. I pray that God will remind us of the great friend we have in Him, to walk with us through our troubles and to bless us from them. Amen

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

“How long will you say such things?

Your words are a blustering wind.

Does God pervert justice?

Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

When your children sinned against him,

he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

But if you will seek God earnestly

and plead with the Almighty,

if you are pure and upright,

even now he will rouse himself on your behalf

and restore you to your prosperous state.

Your beginnings will seem humble,

so prosperous will your future be. (Job 8:1-7) The above scripture is the opening statement of Bildad in rebuttal of Job’s complaints and questioning God in light of his suffering. Bildad was one of Jobs friends who, after hearing of Job’s series of calamities, came to see about him. Satan had challenged God that when faced with misfortune and trial, Job would abandon God and curse Him. Satan had subsequently caused Job to lose all of his children, his wealth, and his health. Job’s wife had even turned her back on him and told him to curse God and die. Bildad’s first statement to Job offered no comfort, but instead condemned him as guilty and reaping the just reward for his sins. His reasoning was that God was just and would not allow Job to suffer if he wasn’t deserving of it. And Bildad didn’t just tell Job that he was reaping what he had sown, but he went further to say that Job’s children died as a result of God’s justice against their transgressions also. Bildad ended the text above in verse 7, telling Job to seek God and plead with Him earnestly, with a pure heart. Although intended as proof that Job must have transgressed against God, Bildad’s assertion that God will make your beginnings seem humble compared to how prosperous He will make your future, later proved prophetic. Friends are fine, but seek God in the midst of your trial. He alone has the power to make your ending better than your beginning.

“Ask the former generation

and find out what their ancestors learned,

for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,

and our days on earth are but a shadow.

Will they not instruct you and tell you?

Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? (Job 8:8-10). Bildad advised Job to look to the history of his ancestors for instruction and understanding to know what he should do in the midst of his misfortune. Bildad argued that while Job may not listen to his limited life experience, certainly Job must pay attention to the accumulated wisdom of their ancestors. Bildad was relying on the support of their ancestors to bolster his argument that people suffered because of their sin. However, Bildad failed to understand that God can have purposes for allowing people to suffer other than punishment for their own sins. Our history should be a rudder to help guide us into the future, not an anchor to keep us stuck in the past. God is always doing a new thing in our lives!

Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter

and your lips with shouts of joy.

Your enemies will be clothed in shame,

and the tents of the wicked will be no more.” (Job 8:20-22). Bildad concluded his opening statement to Job by telling him that a just God would not bring suffering upon someone who hadn’t done something to deserve it. Again, Bildad challenged Job that if he was blameless, God would fill him with joy and laughter and cause his enemies to be shamed. Bildad’s reference to the tents of the wicked ceasing to exist, was a jab at Job’s losses of his wealth and property. In fact, once again Bildad was unknowingly prophetic. God did ultimately restore Job’s joy. Further, He chastised Bildad and the other friends who had chastised Job and had so recklessly misconstrued what God was doing in Job’s life. We often don’t understand why we are going through our trial, only God does…our hope and trust is in Him.

This is Black History month. One thing we don’t talk about in depth is how Black people can deal with the suffering we have endured. In that regard, 11 Alive news reporter Madison Carter hosted a documentary titled “A Different Cry” (see link below *). The documentary shed a light on the rising rate of suicide among black youths in America. Black children are dying by suicide at twice the rate of their white peers. Black children are experiencing some traumas unique to them, like bullying and racism from their peers, as well as a lack of empathy from adults who should be protecting them but instead feel that black children “should be able to take it”. The mental health and suicide prevention experts interviewed in this documentary offered some advice in communicating with Black children, including: 1. asking children open ended questions to allow them to open up about what they are feeling, 2. Listening to them without judging or dismissing their feelings, 3. Listening with love and intent for what is needed, not how you can fix them. This is wise advice and it is applicable to how we can support people in general who are going through grief and suffering. Unfortunately, Job’s “friends” didn’t support him through his troubles, and consequently God chastised them for their misconceptions about Him as well as His purpose for Job’s suffering. For Job’s part, scripture tells us that although Job questioned God, he never gave up on God. Our God is big enough and great enough that He is not afraid of us questioning Him in our trials. He bids us to stay engaged with Him, to seek Him and to hold on to our faith in Him. For He knows the plans He has for us, and they are plans for our good and to fulfill his purpose. Despite Job’s trials, his friends poor advice and the loss of his family, Job held on to his faith. God never abandoned him, but rewarded him for that. I don’t know if you are going through a trial right now, but if you are, I ask you to consider Job and his response to his trials. Job’s great refrain was this, “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him”. Hold on to your faith in God during your troubles…for He sees you and He has not forsaken you!

* It might be “A Different Cry” from their white peers, but Black children’s tears are still the same. See the full documentary here

Blessings,

Rev. Glenn