Job 42:5 “I have heard of You [God] by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. (NKJV)
The man called Job in the Bible said in the verse above, “I had heard of You with my ears in the past, but now I have truly seen You with my eyes.” In other words, Job’s head knowledge about God had become heart knowledge. His intellectual understanding had become experiential truth.
Why? What happened that changed his “book knowledge” to “real life experience”? Did he attend a “Seven Keys to God’s Power” seminar? Did he get the latest best seller, “Ten Secrets to Successful Spirituality”? No, unfortunately for Job, he had to learn the old fashioned way: trials, suffering, testing.
God allowed Job to be refined and purified – trial by fire. In one day he lost his family, his possessions, his property and his health. His wife and friends did everything they could to get Job to have a pity party and curse God. Job only responded that what he had was God’s, and God was free to give it, or take it, as He pleased.
Once the test of Job’s faith was over (he passed with flying colors), he proclaimed His new found understanding of God. Until his faith was tested, until his comfort was removed, until his achievements were gone, and until he stood alone with God against the criticism and doubters… until all that hardship occurred, Job admitted that he had only “heard” of God, but had not truly “seen” Him.
It is THE BLESSING of Christ-following, that every hardship we endure brings us closer to God, and conforms us more to the image of Jesus. That makes servants of the Lord the only people on the planet that can welcome and embrace suffering and trials, knowing that God always has a purpose, a plan and a blessing for those who choose to look for it (Romans 8.28).
Do you see the hardships of life as a blessing? Have you ever thought about it?
Lord, help us to know and understand that suffering and trials are opportunities to depend on You, trust You, grow closer to You and genuinely grow authentic faith in You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (NKJV)
- What is the most obvious Bible truth you have learned today?
- What change in your life needs to be made concerning this truth?
- What specific thing will you do today to begin that change?