JOB 16:7-14 – Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me, and my leanness has risen up against me; it testifies to my face. He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me. Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me. God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, and he broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target; his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.

THEME OF THE DAY. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT. In today’s scripture, Job is in the dark night of the soul. The lights are out in the deepest recesses of his heart. He feels pain, intense pain, not only physically but spiritually. He also senses abandonment by God. Notice the language he uses describing how he perceives God is dealing with him – “Surely now God has worn me out, He has made me desolate, He has shriveled me up, He has torn me in His wrath and hated me, He has gnashed His teeth at me, God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked, He seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces, He sets me up as His target, His archers surround me, He slashes open my kidneys, He pours out my gall, He breaks me, and He runs at me like a warrior.”

There are three powerful lessons to be learned from this experience of Job. And they apply to every true child of God.

First, we will be severely sifted in our walks with the Lord. Job was a godly man. Job feared God. Job walked with God, but Job still needed spiritual development. There were still areas of growth for him, and God was at work. It will be the same for us. God has committed Himself to conform us into the image of Jesus. He is doing this work in us every day and the work God starts, He finishes (Philippians 1:6). And His work in us will include pain and suffering. Perhaps not to the extent of Job, but pain and suffering are choice tools God uses to sift and purge us of pride and other sins that restrict our growth in Him.

The second lesson we may learn from Job is we don’t get to choose the ways God does His work in us. This work of conformity to the image of Jesus is a work from our sovereign God who controls the what, how, when, and where of all His workings in us. We are called to submit to His always good ways, not rebel or attempt to change them.

A final lesson from Job’s experience is don’t perceive or judge God’s character by our circumstances. As one reads Job’s description of how he perceives God is dealing with him, the words “God is love” would seem way out of place. When we are in the deep valleys of discouragement and depression, we tend to forget our theology of God. No matter our situation, we must always look to God’s Word, not our circumstances, in defining Him. If we don’t, we will create a God of our own making, and there will be no comfort from this false God.

Sometimes God does “turn off the lights” in our hearts and minds; like He did Job. But this work is not a sign of His anger. It is a sign of His love. It is His love at work taking us into this dark experience to develop solid faith in His Word and Person.

PRAYER: “Father, help me not to rebel or complain over the ways You choose to work in my life.”

QUOTE: “Always trust the heart of God when you don’t understand the hand of God.”