In the Bible, Job, was a man who made good decisions. He had a good relationship with his community, his family, and with God. He had no anticipation of things “going south” so quickly. In one short period of time, he lost everything but his health, his wife, a few messengers, and some long time “friends”.
His life went from bad to worse as he soon later lost his health. It wasn’t just a temporary, light sickness, it was a horrible disease. He was stricken with sores that did not heal and in which worms found their home. Job used clay vessels that had been broken to scratch the open irritations covering his whole body. He felt like a nobody, weak, and ignorant. (Job 26).
Three of his friends came to him to attempt to help, but they brought no real comfort as Job often received more torture from the words of his “friends” and their accusations of him. Job’s wife even told him to “curse God and die”. Her advice was that “you would be better off dead”. The circumstances of his life could have supported her counsel.
Despite all this in Job’s life that made “no sense” to him, he never lost his integrity. What Job was going through was not rational to him. He could not wrap his head around what was happening to him. He did not understand his circumstance. Yet, in all Job said and did he never sinned against God.
What kept Job faithful to God? What kept him from falling? When his friends and family were giving him discouraging guidance, how did he keep the faith? What can you learn from Job’s experience that will help you when your life makes “no sense”?
Job’s faithfulness came because of who he was. He was able to hold onto his faith, not fall, and keep going even through horrid circumstances as a result of his character. God declared twice in the book of job what kind of person Job was. God declared job was “blameless and upright”. Therefore, God said he “feared God” and “shunned evil”.
It was because of Job’s character that he was yielded to Satan’s attack. The things in Job’s life were Satan’s plan to steal, kill, and destroy. John 10:10 tells us the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan wasted no time once God allowed him to “get to Job”. There were no worries from God’s perspective, however. He knew Job would not “fall” for Satan’s scheme. God even told Satan the truth about the trouble he caused Job was for the purpose of making Job turn from God.
The declaration of God about Job was that he was “blameless and upright”. These two words can be used to form one word, “righteous” describing Job’s character. God said Job is righteous before me. Therefore, you (Satan) can do anything you want to him (except take his life), he will not falter. He knows who I am and will not fall prey to your attempts to get him to deny me.
We know the end of Job’s story, God blessed him double for his trouble. But, how does that help you in your story? How does that help you get through today? You see, Christian, the circumstances of blessings, blessings withdrawn, and double blessings did not change the character of Job. Likewise, the circumstances of your life do not change the character of the person you are when God declares you to be righteous.
The Book of Job opens with the declaration that Job was “blameless” and “upright”. We understand from who he was, it caused him to “fear God” and “shun evil”. No matter the circumstances of Job’s life, because he had a character of righteous, Job remained faithful. The question for you to consider, Christian, is do you have the character of righteous?
Notice the question has nothing to do with your circumstances, it has everything to do with your character. Your inner person is the determination of your remaining faithful. We know it is the character of righteous that made Job able to remain faithful. Today, it is the character of righteous that will make you able to stand when your life makes “no sense”.
How can you have the character of righteous? Where does it come from? How can it be obtained?
Righteous is a term that is a judgment. Just as God declared Job to be righteous, God is the only one who can declare that you are “righteous”. We do not know the backstory of when or how Job first heard of God, believed God, and received the declaration of “righteous”. You can however, through the help of the Bible, find out how you can get a declaration of “righteous”.
Romans 10 helps you to understand a declaration of “righteous”. This chapter is useful to help see that you cannot establish your own righteousness. You cannot make yourself to be called “righteous” by God. Your righteousness before God cannot be taken for granted. Instead, it is required you submit to God’s righteousness. God is not looking for your righteousness, He is looking for His righteousness.
You can only be declared righteous when you come under the authority of God’s righteousness. It is possible to be declared righteous when you submit to God’s righteousness by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ means you accept who He is, bow yourself to His authority, and conform yourself to His image. This believing changes your inner character because it changes your inner thinking, heart, and will. Your accepting, bowing, and conforming to Jesus Christ thereby believing on Him, makes you righteous. This is not a righteousness you establish. It is not a blamelessness you invent.
Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as your righteousness is what makes you righteous. It is trusting Jesus is God’s Son, lived a sinless/perfect life, died to take the punishment for your crimes against God, spent three days in a tomb after dying your death, rose from the dead by the power of God, and is now living in Heaven beside God waiting to share His indestructible life with you. When you grasp your righteousness, you don’t worry about your circumstances. Your “no sense” life makes no difference to you. You have the Son of God, the very righteousness of God.
Read the Book of Job. Consider how often Job thought about God by considering the perfections of God, the creation of God, and the justice of God. When all the counsel of the people around Job was against God and spoke evil, Job determined he would not listen to the counsel of those around him. Instead he counseled his own heart to look at all God had done in creation, know God was God, and look to God for His judgment of righteous. (See Psalm 1 for more detail about how you can delight in the Lord like Job.)
Be encouraged, Christian, your “no sense” life is a demonstration to get you to disbelieve God. It is to get you to turn your back on your Christ, deny your Lord, and worship the one who kills, steals, and destroys. DON’T DO IT! You can’t do it. God declares no one is able to snatch you out of His hand. (John 10:28) It is God who declares you are righteous. It is God who makes you righteous. It is God who demonstrated His great love for you by taking the punishment for your crimes against a Holy God so that the righteousness of the Holy God can be given to you.
Believe with your heart (inner thinking) God raised Jesus from the dead (for your deliverance from Satan) and let God declare you righteous. (Romans 10:10) The circumstances of your life here on earth may go from bad to worse, but keep your looking focused on things above where your Savior is sitting, not on the circumstances of this earth. (Colossians 3:1-2). Don’t let your current “no sense” circumstances distract you from the God who declares you righteous. He hasn’t taken his eye off of you. Don’t take your eyes off Him.
Written By: Anne Gurley
