Alfred Shropshire
“You will live secure and full of hope; God will protect you and give you rest . . . But the wicked will find that ... their one hope is that death will come."
Job's friend, Zophar, tells Job that surely Job has done something wrong and if he would only put his heart right and reach out to God, his life would return to what it had been before. Job would be secure and full of hope. He would not be like the wicked whose lives were so miserable and full of despair that their only hope was to die.
This advice in some simple form can still be heard today. When we hurt, our first thought is for comfort, not sermons. We are told to "Be devoted to the Lord. Pray. Stop sinning. Then everything will be fine." But, what if we are already doing these things but wind up with our hopes dashed anyway. Everything is not fine and the future looks bleak at best. There is no "sunny side of the street."
We must remember that God is not our adversary. He is on our side. Our failure to understand God's purposes should not shake our faith in His constant love. If we fix our hope in eternity, nothing that happens in our brief lifetime can overcome us. We may be filled with inner turmoil, but we should also expect to grow through the experience.
When challenges arise, don't ask to know "why!" Just trust in the wisdom and love of God. The rewards of faith in God may not come to us in this life, but they will surely come.
Prayer: Lord, give us the strength not only to face our own trials, but also to walk with someone else that needs our caring. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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