Job 3:1-6; Jeremiah 20:14-18
Job and prophet Jeremiah were men very close to the heart of God. Job was a perfect man in his generation, while Jeremiah was a weeping prophet, an intercessor who could pray a city out of quagmire. But these men had one similarity - they both cursed the day they were born, wishing that they had died in the womb rather than to have entered the world to encounter such dreadful things. Though they were righteous, upright, holy, pure, and desperate to live for God, yet the Devil never spared them, in that he made them go through untold hard times in their lifetimes. Thus, their lamentation and cry.
There are situations that occur which causes men to misinterpret and misunderstand others; personal circumstances in their lives, which make others condemn rather than encourage. In such times, people who ought to favour you, counsel you, sympathise with you and help you, become against you. Job lost all ten children, almost all his servants and his entire wealth in one day. And to increase his pain, his health was tampered with. And when his friends came to console him, they could do and say nothing due to the state they saw their friend in, than sit in ashes. They had never seen such a devastating and hopeless situation before. And when they finally decided to speak after seven days, Job's expectations of comfort went cold, as they began to condemn him, concluding that such an extent of disaster could only have been due to his sin. Job must have faulted along the line. How can a very righteous man, the richest in the east, a diligent priest to his family and the good father/husband to his children and wife receive such a problem? His sins and wickedness (probably done secretly) must have caused so great a disaster, because God can never punish a righteous and upright man!
Many times when certain blessings delay, even those you expect to console you begin to curse, wash down and belittle you. You expect comfort, but they bring discomfort. You expect hope but they hopelessness. You expect encouragement in the faith, but receive discouraging words and condemnation. Due to this, you become overwhelmed. On certain other times, your holiness, righteousness, and stand for the Truth causes men to stay away from you. They may cause you pain, disgrace, shame and heartbreak due to your faith, but you are not the first. Jeremiah was a prophet imprisoned for his words of righteousness, and not for his sins. He was excommunicated because he fought for the course of God in a land much given to wickedness. It was in the midst of his troubles that he cried out, and cursed the day of his birth. But never was it promised that a life submitted to the Lord will be void of troubles. Rather, the Bible says "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Psalms 34:17-19. The righteous.... Job's testimony of uprightness came from the Lord Himself, who also stated that this man eschewed evil. He took his children's holiness as a personal thing, and raised altars for their sakes. He didn't see them physically engage in sin, but interceded fervently for them in case they had sinned in their hearts. What a father! His children's souls were so precious in his sight. Oh fathers, how do you war against the devil over the souls of your children? Do you watch as they turn to the world, or do you fight that their souls be recovered to the Lord's side? Do you make Jesus proud in the way you wield the lives and affairs of your family? Job commanded his house in such a way that they followed the Lord.
But, why these afflictions aimed at the righteous(and not even the sinners)? Why do the righteous cry? It is because the enemy would not let such testimonies of righteousness be to the end. Satan, the accuser of the Church, refused to accept that Job served the Lord for nought. There must be some reason he followed God. So he sought permission to tempt/try Job, expecting that he would curse God. He also sought to sift Peter as wheat, but Jesus interceded for him. He knew there was a weakness in this man (Peter) which made him dependent on himself and ability, and drew nigh the devil's hand to destroy him. Such a characteric is the devil's property. But Jesus prayed for him. He knew he would backslide and fail Him, yet He prayed for his restoration- Luke 22:31-32. Friend, Jesus knows your end from your beginning. He can lead you to your promised land despite the trials and temptations assailing you, if only you will submit to Him and delight in His words. Satan's ministry, after he was cast down, has been that of ACCUSATION. Many times you desire to cry out, "Does the devil not get tired of tempting me? When will these trials be over?" But Revelation 12:9-10, tells us that he accuses the brethren DAY and NIGHT! He never is tired. Thus, if he is resisted today, he tries again tomorrow.
But in spite of Satan's ploy, 1st Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." No trial ever befalls you which the Lord did not permit. He permitted Satan to try Job, Jeremiah, Peter; and still permits him to do so to every other believer who chooses His paths: wanting to use such means to draw them to Himself. Anything God permits in any area of your life is for a reason. Let us learn from such brethren as Paul, who knew what it meant to die daily to self, that the life of Christ might be manifest in them - 1 Corinthians 15:31, 2Corinthians 4:8-12. He endured hard times for Christ's sake. 1 Corinthians 11:23-33, 12:7-10. As Christians, any trial the Lord permits will happen. But if you take it to Him in prayer, He would help, bless and supply sufficient grace able to keep and secure you. Paul began to glory in his infirmities when he discovered that this 'messenger of Satan' was placed by the Lord, to keep him from being exalted above measure. Peter counselled, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you..." 1 Peter 4:12; and James charged, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations..." James 1: 2-5, 12-15.
At the end, every believer who entrusted his temptations and trials to the hands of the Lord was rewarded. Job recovered twice the wealth once lost,and received ten children from the Lord (of which his daughters were fairer than the maidens of the land). Later on, he died old and full of days. Job 42:10-17. After years of proclaiming God's judgement and his nation refused to repent, Jeremiah was released from prison while Israel was sent into captivity. Jeremiah 39:14. And Paul’s consolation was, "Nothing can separate us from the love God which is in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:35-39. Apart from help received of the Lord in these shores down below, if we endure our temptations, trials and persecutions till the very end, we will see our King, in His Kingdom wherein is no pain, weeping, or crying.
REMAIN BLESSED.
Pst Ig Nwabuo