Read: Job 9-12.

Today’s Passage: Job 12:22.

In our text for today, we learn a lot about trials and tribulations. These were more than physical or emotional. They struck to the very core of Job’s faith and understanding of God, and he held onto his faith through it all. I believe this is why the Lord expressed such confidence in Job before this all began.

Through these trials and tribulations Job found a much deeper, more profound faith, understanding of God, and the importance of a relationship with Him. The truth is that sometimes it takes the struggle to build a faith that is powerful (James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:3-7).

“so that the tested genuineness of your faith—

more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—

may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

(1 Peter 1:7, ESV)

A faith that is tried by fire and found to be precious in the sight of God is why the Lord allows these things to happen to us. When these things come, and they will eventually come for us all, will either draw us closer to the Lord or drive us from Him.  

The power of Job’s story is that his struggle led him to a greater understanding of who God was. Truths like His power, sovereignty, and overwhelming love for us. Often Job reminds us that we were formed with His own hands, and He loves us deeper than anything we could imagine.

We are created in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) with the ability to think, choose, and to enter loving relationships with others. The ability to feel emotions (John 4:6-7) like love, compassion, anger, and grief are not merely human emotions; they are emotions that we share with our God. This makes us more like Him than any other aspect of creation. Because of this profound connection, He knows us in ways no one else can. He understands our thoughts, feelings, and motivations better than we do ourselves.

I am convinced that we all need to face the fire and fight through the temptations, trials, and tribulations to humble us and teach us how much we need Him. Every trial or tribulation, no matter how difficult or overwhelming, has a greater purpose. They can teach us more than any Bible class or sermon ever could.  Some of the greatest, humbling, and most terrifying lessons I’ve ever learned were the ones that brought the very edge of failure and brokenness. This allowed the Lord to rebuild me into something only He could create.  

Like Job, we are all on a journey of faith and it is meant to teach us powerful truths about ourselves and God. Just because we face hardships, struggle, and deep loss at times doesn’t mean that God isn’t with us and will not give us a greater reward in the life to come.