God and Comfort [Job 8]

  3"Does God pervert justice?
         Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?
    4"If your sons sinned against Him,
         Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression.
    5"If you would seek God
         And implore the compassion of the Almighty,
    6If you are pure and upright,
         Surely now He would rouse Himself for you
         And restore your righteous estate.
    7"Though your beginning was insignificant,
         Yet your end will increase greatly.

Just consider what Bildad said to Job as he sat in the ditch covered with sores and mourning the deaths of his sons and daughters. He said, "
If your sons sinned against Him, then He delivered them into the power of their transgression." Think about how that one sentence tore open Job's already wounded heart. Even if it was the truth, it was not the time nor place to say such a thing, but it wasn't even true! How easily we can spill out words of so called wisdom that is just our opinion mixed with a bit of truth. The truth is that God does not pervert justice and that God is the Almighty and compassionate. However, He does not fit into a nice neat formula that if we do this, He will do that every time. God's ways are not our ways. It is impossible to know exactly what He is doing in another person's life much less in our own life.

After reading Bildad's words I realized that they weren't just words to a suffering person, they were weapons causing more injury. It makes me wonder about how we can be people who speak healing words of comfort to those who are in pain around us. When I am not in pain, it is really hard to imagine what the person who is in pain is feeling and to be empathetic with them, especially if the pain is long term. God has shown me through reading this chapter today that ministering to a hurting person is not something I can do well apart from God and knowing Him well. Having a correct opinion of God is not just important when dealing with suffering people, it is critical.

We praise You, God, that You have made it clear that knowing You well is mandatory to living well in this hurting world. Cause us to remember daily spend time getting to know You and to run to You for truth and wisdom in comforting the hurting people in our lives.
 
Beth Warlick, 1/19/2011