Round Two

“His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’” Job 2:9

Round Two - Job - 2; Satan - 0;

We see in Job 2 that God has once again permitted Satan access to Job in an effort to show the integrity and faithfulness of His servant. This time God grants Satan the ability to physically harm him with a disease. Some scholars believe this affliction was leprosy or elephantiasis, which not only covered the body with running sores, but also caused his body parts to swell up and become bloated and distorted. This affliction was extremely painful with no relief.

Not only did Satan attack Job with this excruciating disease but he attacked Job’s own emotional support system. He used Job’s wife to taunt his faith, tempt his belief and tear him down regarding His God. She abandoned everything her weak faith had known in an effort to make Job feel ridiculous for continuing to serve a God who would allow such suffering.

Job’s response is one of the most beautiful and profound beliefs documented. “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” It is so easy to be grateful when things are going our way and we are the recipient of smooth living. We boast about our God and faith and show ourselves to be “Christians in print”. We are what the Holy Writ exhorts us to be, vessels to glorify God. But, when tragedy strikes, when disease engulfs, or when despair takes away our spiritual pulse do we claim this belief as did Job?

Do we allow those around us to discourage our faith, disorient our beliefs and plunder our promises from God? Or do we recognize that God gives the good and the bad He allows will turn to good if we continue to believe in Him, on Him and through Him?

When adversity explodes in our lives and the gloves come off, will your response be like Job's or his wife's?