What are "Job moments" you ask? Well, they're what I consider moments when we look at our life, our family, our career, our whatever, and everything it's all upside down. When we feel like we're low as low can get. When everything that has mattered to us is gone. When our hearts are broken. When we get to the point where we literally think the only thing that hasn't been taken from us is our life.
We've all been there. We've all watched as aspects of our life that we put so much hope and assurance in slowly dissipate (or quickly, as it was for Job).
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I've continually been brought back to the book of Job. Job lost everything...literally EVERYTHING. So much so that his own wife told him over and over again to curse God and die.
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” - Job 2:9
But Job didn't; instead, he worshiped. He praised God in his suffering. He mustered up enough faith to seek joy through his suffering. In my opinion, Job was unhappy through this time. It wasn't like he was okay with all of this. It wasn't like he was walking around with a smile across his face. He thought he was going to die. Everyone surrounding him was telling him that he's sinned, and this was punishment for his unrighteousness. But in Job, we find an underlying theme that there is quite a big difference between earthly pleasures and happiness and eternal joy.
In a sermon that I heard a long time ago, the pastor pointed out how Job goes on and on and on at the end of the book praising God and extolling His greatness. And even though Job is among the most righteous of men, God stops him and basically says that Job can't even begin to comprehend His greatness. Job responds in a way that I pray I would, but in reality, I know I would not. Job shows humility before the Lord:
“I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
‘Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.”
- Job 42:2-6
In our "Job moments", how many of us respond this way? How many of us direct our heart and our minds toward eternal joy and bow in humility before our King? I'll be the first to say that I have failed at that time and time again.
I look at the world around me. A world full of evilness and wickedness. A world full of hatred and condemnation. A world full of tragedy and sorrow.
I'm reminded of a verse in Proverbs that says, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." (19:21) Although I know without a doubt that many men have plans for evil, wickedness, and are full of hatred, I also take comfort knowing that at the end of the day, when all is said and done, only the Lord's purposes will remain.
I don't know a lot and I am not a bible scholar; I don't claim to be, and I know I never will be. But I do know one thing: focusing our hearts/minds/lives on eternal joy is of the utmost importance. God's word says that none of us are righteous (Romans 3:10). The fact that this world isn't in utter chaos is only by the grace of God. The fact that we can recognize evil and mourn when we're faced with tragedy is only by the grace of God. But when our focus is not on a happy, prosperous, pleasure-filled life on earth, but rather on eternal joy that comes from our Heavenly Father, we have more to live for. And in our "Job moments", when we're fixed on eternal joy, we don't seem to question God so much. We are able to see every day as an opportunity. We are able to say, as Job did, "'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'" (Job 1:21)
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