Your Mindset Matters
Job is the real MVP. Through all of the trials and tests he went through, he never once wavered. He never once denounced his faith in God. He never once gave up. That’s MVP behavior, don’t you think?
As I’m reading Job, I am most impressed by his impeccable character. One thing in particular, his mindset. His ability to withstand all of the calamity thrown his way AND to proclaim the name of the Lord is remarkable! Job simply refuses to give in! Though he suffered greatly, he remained faithful to the Lord.
Let’s dive in!
First, let it be known that Job was a righteous man.
Job 1:1 (NKJV) tells us that:
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.”
Not only was he righteous but the Lord blessed him greatly!
Job 1:3
“3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the [b]people of the East.”
Now the enemy knew Job was righteous too. Because of this, he first decides to attack Job’s character! Let’s go to Job 1:8-12.
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
“Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”
With permission from the Lord, the enemy was on a mission to get Job to curse God’s name, proving his disloyalty to the Lord. Thus the beginning of Job’s sorrow…
Take a look at these four tragedies that happen simultaneously.
Job 1:13-15 - Job loses his property and children
#1 - 15 “And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
First, his servants die.
#2 - 16 “While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
Then, his possessions are consumed by fire!
#3 - 17 “While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
Oh, no! Not more servants AND the camels!
#4 - 18 “While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from [o]across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
His children, servants, and livestock all gone within a matter of seconds. Can you imagine losing everything you owned and everyone you loved all at the same time? Well, what happens next? Does Job give up? Does he question the Lord? Let’s take a look at how Job responds to this calamity.
Job 1:20-22 (emphasis added)
20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
After losing both his property and his children, Job “fell to the ground and worshiped”? I am speechless. What more could the enemy take from him? What did he have left? His health, precisely. Just when things got bad, the enemy made it worse by striking Job with painful boils.
Job 2:7
“7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”
Boils everywhere! The agony! Even Job’s wife dared to question Job’s integrity by suggesting that he curse God and die! Don’t believe me? Read it for yourself!
Job 2:9
“9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? [c]Curse God and die!”
However, even in this, Job held fast to his faith! Job rebukes her for her foolish talk and accepts yet another painful reality to his circumstances. Despite his wife’s harmful words, Job chose to see his situation through the lenses of God’s goodness, unlike his wife.
Job 2:9
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job is then comforted by his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar) who heard of his adversity and immediately came to comfort him. In fact, they came and comforted him for seven days and seven nights.
Job 2:13
11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
However, after those days are over, they too begin to add to his sorrow!
They question him, accuse him of folly, wickedness, unrighteousness, urging him to repent as if he were guilty! But remember, it was the Lord who said to Satan:
Job 1:8
“Then the Lord said to Satan, “‘Have your considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”.
Job was NOT guilty, rather put on trial to prove that he is indeed a righteous man. After all, Satan was sure that after all of his suffering, Job would surely depart from the Lord.
Job 1:9
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not [i]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse[j] You to Your face!”
As I continue reading, I remain in awe of Job’s perseverance! He endures constant persecution from his friends yet remains steadfast and immovable in his faith. Note the way in which he responds, proclaiming his faith in the face of each of his circumstances:
#1 - Job 13:15
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
#2 - Job 23:10
“When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”
#3 - Job 27:3-6
“As God lives, who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3
As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,
4
My lips will not speak wickedness,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5
Far be it from me
That I should say you are right;
Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
6
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go;
My heart shall not [a]reproach me as long as I live.
Despite all that he had been through, Job declares:
Job 19:25
“For I know that my redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the Earth”.
Job’s character is impeccable. In every situation, he refused to do as the enemy thought he would: depart from the ways of God and charge Him with wrong! His story inspires me to do the same.
Here’s the thing, trials are guaranteed to come our way. Tests will have our names written on them, but like Job we must stand on the name of the Lord. Friends, let’s hold on tight to our faith. May our attitudes reflect Job’s as persecution, trials, and tribulation come our way.