Here is a trio of thoughts from the book of Job:
1. What Job feared most happened to him
The enemy (that is Satan, the devil) knew Job’s fears and exploited them. Although everyone fears something, we are best advised to turn our fears over to God and not dwell on them.
2. Job believed that through good behavior he deserved God’s blessings
Things are not any different today. The common belief is that we can earn God’s love and attention. Of course, the converse of that is rejected; people assume that bad behavior should be forgiven, not punished. The right motivation for good behavior is simply out of respect for God and to honor him, not to earn something in return.
3. When Job had nothing left to say that is when God spoke
It is hard for us to listen when we are talking; it is no different in our relationship with God. When you pray do you spend more time talking or listening?
[See Job 3:25, Job 30:25-26, and Job 38:1.]
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
