Verses 1-19
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We learn that Job, due to his suffering, deplored his birth. He wished that he was never born or that he would die suddenly.
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This shows that a person in great adversity will often struggle to have gratitude for life itself.
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When comforting someone in this state, be considerate of their pain, but also remember that it is good to gently remind them that life is a gift to be thankful for (Psalm 118:24, Acts 17:25).
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- Verses 16-19. Job speaks here of the fate of infants or children who perish in the womb. Be assured that miscarried or stillborn children do enter rest. Today, this means that they go to be with the Father in heaven.
Verses 20-23
- Why does God prolong people's lives even when they suffer greatly? For anyone who is a believer, death is seemingly desirable. For to “depart” is to “be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), and “to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). So, why does God want us to keep living?
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When you are suffering, remember the following facts to encourage you to value your life:
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To live is to have opportunity to serve the Kingdom and serve others to bring them closer to God (Philippians 1:24-25, Psalm 115:17-18, Psalm 118:17).
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To live and suffer brings growth for one's faith (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-4). When we lose all earthly comforts, then we learn to trust solely in God.
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To suffer and learn to be comforted by God brings ability to comfort others in their suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-6).
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Verses 24-26
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He also stated that what he feared came upon him, and this made his grief that much worse.
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Job had made burnt offerings for his children, hoping that his intercessions would atone for and protect them (Job 1:5). Is it possible that such offerings were influenced by some level of fear that he would lose them?
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Fear is a dangerous trap. Once you step into fear, it's near impossible to escape it. And when you fear loss, the suffering of the loss is far worse. The more unafraid you are, the stronger you will be in the face of any loss.
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So, repent from fear quickly. When fearful thoughts come, turn away from them quickly. Don't give fear any ground, and don't take actions out of fear, or you will only deepen it.
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