Faith tested, faith proven
By Susan Steel
Job stands out as one of the few people in the Bible who are described as righteous. Job is introduced as a man who is blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil. He is incredibly wealthy, with seven sons, three daughters, and large livestock holdings. Because of all his wealth, he is known as the greatest man of the East. Job regularly offers burnt sacrifices for his children, in case they have sinned, which shows his deep devotion to God.
When heavenly beings present themselves before God, Satan is among them telling the Lord that he has been roaming the earth. God highlights Job as a righteous and upright servant, but Satan challenges Job’s faith, arguing that Job is only faithful because God has blessed and protected him. Satan suggests that if Job’s blessings were taken away, he would curse God. God allows Satan to test Job, who acts quickly, bringing disaster upon Job in quick succession.
Job loses everything – his livestock, servants, and worst of all, his children.
Every day we experience loss, whether it be ours or friends and family. We see the most devastating losses in the news relaying stories of people who have lost everything due to natural disasters. The recent fires in Los Angeles laid waste 23,400 acres of homes and businesses. Thousands of people lost everything, regardless of their wealth or faith. The fire didn’t discriminate. While watching the news, my husband and I talked about what we would grab from the house if we were told to evacuate immediately. Each other and the two cats were top of the list…an obvious choice, right? But when it came to possessions, I felt that I could walk away from everything. The thousands of photographs we have of our children growing up and of our history have all been scanned to the cloud, so they’ll always be there. Everything else can be replaced. But even knowing that would not ease the pain of loss. I’m sure I would ask, “why me?” and would then throw a pity party for one!
How could Job be an inspiration for me to cope with such a loss. When facing hardships – loss, financial struggles, illness, or emotional pain – I must remind myself that God is in control, even when I don’t understand His plan. I must worship God no matter the circumstances and hold onto my faith even when I don’t feel God’s presence. I need to remember that all I have is ultimately God’s, not mine, and that I am simply a steward of His blessings.
At the end of this passage, we read that, “In all this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” He did not curse God, proving Satan wrong. He does not question God’s justice but accepts what has happened. Job shows us that faithfulness is possible even in suffering. His response is a powerful reminder that true faith is tested in adversity. His story encourages me to always trust in God, even when the circumstances seem unfair.
