Lessons Learned from Job

Today marked the completion of preaching through Job in our Sunday morning ministry. The Book of Job has provided more mornings filled with worship, awe, struggle, frustration, and the like. On a ministerial level, constructing a theology of suffering and evil is of great need within the body life of local communities. Trials, sufferings, etc. have the ability to be one of the more crippling elements of a Christian's life. Ministry to the body is discipling them to think biblically about trials. However, on a personal growth level, studying and preaching through Job has stretched my thinking, my expositional synthesis, my communication of difficult OT texts.

Today we went through these 12 points as lessons I have learned from my own study and meditation on the Book of Job. It is not limited to these 12, but these were the more apparent lessons learned in my own spiritual sanctification.

Lessons Learned from Job

1. Be extremely slow to declare yourself innocent (especially during a trial). You probably sinned at some point.

2.God does not give nor is required to give reasons for your suffering.

3. Be slow to offer counsel to others, you may not have all the details. Ask lots of question and DO GIVE COUNSEL, but demonstrate patience and slowness in giving it. Talk in a manner to build up, even in your confrontation.

4. God has specific control and guidance of all events surrounding your trial (Specific Sovereignty); therefore He is specifically guiding and directing the extent and intensity of your trial. Trust should ultimately result from your trial knowing this is evidence of His grace in your life.

5. Freedom/Relief from trials is not the goal of suffering

6. Pray to be made worthy through the trial, not necessarily to be relieved from the trial.

7. Trials bring the necessary sobriety in life producing the necessary repentance and longing for heaven. NOTE: Only if you have the proper Biblical perspective.

8. Don’t waste your trial: God is growing you and teaching you.

9. Endurance and comfort through trials is gained through treasuring God’s Word. When inflicted fill your mind with Scripture (Job 6.8-10). When inflicted study God (Job 38-42). Your worship and trust will only be to the extent you understand the Glory of God.

10. Experiencing trials and suffering is not an excuse to “give into” a little bit of sin (Job 28:28).

11. Trials, hardship, suffering should cause you to study, pursue, worship, and trust God.

12. Understand trails are a purifying tool causing you to be perfect (Jas 1) and a demonstration of God’s compassion and mercy (Jas 5.11).