Effie Darlene Barba

After all the vain talking about God; God spoke, and all the men were silent.  Job had commanded that God come down and make right his injustice toward him.  Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar spoke incessantly about God, as though they had all the answers.  These three spoke lofty words, declaring that God was judging Job for blatant sin; as though they knew the mind of God. Finally, God spoke.  He did not explain to Job the reasons He allowed Job to endure such trials. Instead, He presented to Job a series of questions that forced Job to see God as the Sovereign, Just, and Gracious King of the Universe.  At the final end of all the questioning, Job’s response was: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.  Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).

In other words, “Everything I knew of God before today, were words within my mind; but, today I see God in all His Glory and Majesty with the eyes of my heart.  Therefore, I humbly bow; recognizing my own foolish pride.”  Until God spoke through the whirlwind and the suffering; Job believed in his own righteous acts and his own virtue.  When confronted by the truth; Job now could see the threads of pride and arrogance which lay deeply in his own heart.  Only when pressed by the pains of sorrow, did Job recognize fully God’s Sovereign Grace and Kingship over everything.  What suffering is too great to endure to be able to see God?

Eyes Opened Wide to See God

Continue reading “Can Man Really See God Through Suffering?”

When facing trials and pain, all too often we become so focused on our pain; we forget the truth of God’s goodness and mercy.  Never does God allow suffering in our life without His Divine Purpose being to use it for our good.  At the beginning of the book of Job, he so rightly said; “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Then, his “counselors” began to say, “all this is because of your sin.  God rightly judges you. Repent”.  Job became so intent on proving himself righteous in their eyes, that he lost focus on God, demanding that God was unjust in His acts.  Thus, as the layers began to be peeled away; there was exposed that thread of pride and arrogance, he had never known was there.

Although, God remained present; Job could not hear Him; because, Job was so focused on himself.  Never had I thought of myself as vain or even concerned with my looks; until, cancer stole it from me.  Then, as I stared into the mirror at a bald, overweight image; I loathed the image which brought back the cruel mocking sounds of others criticism of a fat little girl.  I lost focus.  To make matters worse, following the cancer, came the ulcerative colitis.  High dose steroids caused me to develop a buffalo hump, a moon face, inability to lose weight, plus, I grew a full beard and mustache.  Suddenly, exposed was my own vanity, pride and prejudices.   In a society that places so much value on looks, I wanted to scream, “look inside, not on the outside.” But how often, had I failed to do the same.

PRIDE EXPOSED

Continue reading “When Truth Is Exposed, Are You Listening?”

Nothing stretches our faith or our knowledge of God more than when tragedy strikes. That is what Job and his friends were about to learn.  Amid the tears, it may appear that God is silent for a time; as our hearts yearn to find Him.  We want to hear His answer; yet, we cannot see the truth that He is there in the center of our tragedy.  It is hard to see His hand of love; because, we somehow think that He should answer us with the answer we want.  Instead, He is wiser and knows the answer is found only as we grow to know Him better.  God sees the very depth of our heart and knows what we need. Hidden within, He has a blessing.

As I pointed out in How Can Suffering Be God’s Divine Purpose for Good; hidden deep within the heart of Job was a thread of pride.  It had not yet caused him to sin; but, combining that with his belief in the doctrine of retribution, it would have been only a matter of time. Knowing this, God allowed Satan to bring tragedy into his life.  The pain and sorrow forced Job to rethink all he had believed of God and to ultimately recognize God’s Divine Purpose, His Sovereignty, and His Grace poured out upon this broken world.  Not only did God use Job’s suffering through tragedy to transform his life; but, also the lives of his friends who needed to discover the truth.  Let’s look at his friends and how their theology failed. We often face the same false theologies today.

Eliphaz-The Prosperity Gospel

Continue reading “Can Tragedy Really Be a Blessing from God?”

When facing extreme trials and sorrow in this world; how can we hold fast to integrity?  That is the word God uses when speaking of Job. God had allowed Satan to take everything away from Job in the course of a day.  His children and all his wealth gone in an instant. Job’s response?

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (Job 1:20-22).

And so, when Satan returned as the accuser of the brethren before God.  God responded to him in this manner.  “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth (abstains from) evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity” (Job 2:3); regardless of all I allowed you to take from him.

As he sat in a pile of ashes, scraping his sores; his wife asked, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity?  Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9).  In the depth of pain and sorrow, it is easy to let go of integrity; but, Job clung fast, even when he fell deep into despair.  So, what is integrity? And why is it a word we hear so seldom anymore?

INTEGRITY

Continue reading “How to Maintain Your Integrity During Sorrow”

Whatever trials you are facing today, let me assure you: God is in Control.  He has not allowed your suffering without there being a Divine Purpose for your good.  He will take all your suffering and broken pieces into His mighty hands of love to bring you to a place of perfect steadfast joy in Him.  Sometimes amid the suffering, that may seem hard to believe; but, nevertheless is true.  God does not merely look upon our actions; but, rather He sees our heart.  His eyes pierce deep within our soul, knowing every piece of chaff that must be removed so that we might see Him clearly.  Furthermore, He knows every blemish that stands in the way of our finding perfect joy in Him.  Job understood this in his mind; but, needed to really know this in his heart.  Therefore, God allowed Job’s suffering at the hand of Satan.

What Job knew about God at the beginning of his story was insufficient to write this truth upon his heart.  We are told in Proverbs 3:3 “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.” Yet, God knows that we cannot fully comprehend of our own volition; therefore, He has promised to write them upon our hearts Himself. (Jeremiah 31:33).  This He covenanted to His people; that, after their days of suffering, He would write His truth upon their hearts. Suffering prepares our heart, cleans the slate; so He can write clearly.  All we must do is trust Him; even in the storms of life.  Ah, but even then; it is He who provides us faith to do just that when our faith fails us. He only asks that we keep our eyes on Him.

JOB’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE HEART

Continue reading “How Can Suffering Be God’s Divine Purpose for Good?”