A messenger came to Job and said, `…The Sabeans attacked and took [the oxen and donkeys]. They also slew the servants’…While he was still speaking, another also came and said, `The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants’…Another also came and said, `The Chaldeans…made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants’ …Another also came and said, `Your sons and your daughters…died.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
When you read Job 1 in your Bible, you see that Job was enjoying a happy, contented, blessed life, when out of the blue everything on earth that was important to him, except his wife, was utterly destroyed. He lost his 10 children, his servants, his financial security. As you keep reading you see that in spite of Job’s trust and faith in God, God also allowed a terrible disease to afflict Job. Only Job’s deep inner spiritual life prepared him to face such devastation!
The reality of life is that there is no time to get yourself ready to face suffering when it arrives, is there? The deep reservoir of Job’s relationship with God meant that he was spiritually prepared for those dark days of loss.
Get close to God. It is the only way that you will be able to continue to trust Him when He entrusts you with suffering.
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