Good morning. I hope you had a good night sleep.
Here's your devotional text for Monday, December 11.

 

If you woke up tomorrow morning and found out that most of your family members and friends got murdered, a natural disaster destroyed your entire home and possessions, and the doctor diagnosed you with an incurable disease — what would you do? Let’s be real: would you go to God or run away?

 

Today and tomorrow, we’re studying the story of Job. He lived about 4,000 years ago, probably in today’s northwestern Saudi Arabia. He was very wealthy but also very honest and generous. He loved the LORD and avoided evil at all times.

 

And yet, all the terrible things mentioned above happened to him. Within a few minutes, he lost his family, his house, his business — everything he owned and loved. Then, on another occasion, he became sick and had “painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.” Job 2:7.

 

The Bible clearly shows us why these things happened to Job. Satan challenged God’s character in front of other unfallen beings, claiming that Job would only worship the LORD because He blessed him (Job 1:9, 10). The Bible also clearly shows us who caused all of this. It wasn’t God, it was the devil. Job 2:7 says that “Satan (…) struck Job with painful boils,” not God.

 

Why did God allow all of this, though?

The question of pain and suffering is difficult and can’t be answered in one single sentence. The reason why this is so complicated is because we live in a universe with free will. Let’s start by realizing that God differentiates between His followers (those who have decided to be in a relationship with Him) and those who don’t know Him. Then, there are specific “categories” of pain and suffering. There is pain that comes because of our bad decisions and our disobedience (for example, eating unhealthy for 40 years will likely cause you to get a cardiovascular disease). Then, there is pain that happens because people decide to hurt others (bullying, terror attacks, etc). Then, we have those trials that happen only to Jesus’ followers. God’s method of perfecting our character. It’s the “pruning” of the branch (John 15:2) so we can bring more fruit. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” Revelation 3:19. The reason why God uses this method isn’t because He loves to see us suffering (He absolutely doesn’t) — it is because of our “status quo.” We are naturally selfish and in total rebellion. Because of our fallen nature, we instinctively disobey. God is trying to bring us back to His ideal, and sometimes, this process hurts.

 

Now, here comes the crazy part: Job’s suffering was none of that. The reason why he suffered was not because God was trying to teach him a lesson, nor because Job made a bad decision or lived a fake Christian life.

 

Read Job 2:1-3. What did God say to Satan after the first trials had come upon Job?

Study the last part of verse 3. How did God describe Satan’s action? 

 

Based on the last sentence of verse 3, complete the following statement:

 

_______ incites ______ against ______, to _____ without _____.

 

 

Think about that statement. Certain trials happen “without cause.” Well, there is a cause, but the person who’s suffering isn’t the reason!

 

In other words, there are trials in your life that you will go through, although you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s actually not about you. There will be pain and suffering, although you didn’t do something bad. You didn’t disobey God. You didn’t break His laws of health. You didn’t rebel. Yet the trial comes. When that happens, the question isn’t “Why?” — the question is “How do I react?”

 

Study Job 1:21. How did Job react?

Why did Job react like this?

What does Job’s response tell us about his relationship with God?

 

Does God want me to react like this, too? Why (not)?

 

 

Why does the author explain Job’s “morning routine” here in such a detailed way?

How is this connected to the overall story?

 

What habits do you have that keep you grounded and connected with God?

When did Job do this? After or before the trial?

 

 

 

Further reading: Job 1:1 - 2:13