I recently was in a situation in which I felt slighted. Haven’t we all been there? A wrong look, a harsh word, a false accusation, a snarky text.
My instant natural response was wanting to lash back. I am learning, as a I get older, and as I lean more and more into my Heavenly Father, that sometimes the very best response is no response at all. Silence hanging in the air speaks volumes in situations such as this–and sometimes it just makes the offender stop and think about what was said and the way in which it was said.
Sometimes the situation leads itself to further discussion, sometimes you are left feeling even more hurt because there was no resolution, and sometimes you have to just move forward trusting the God will bring peace in His way and time.
Job was a man who probably felt the most slighted of anyone. Ever. I can’t even imagine the grief, confusion, and intense frustration this man must have had over his circumstances. To lose everything he held dear and from all appearances to have done nothing wrong.
To top it off, it seems that everyone even close to him had to give their opinion of the situation. But, as I was reading the the book of Job I came across one little phrase at the very end of the book that has changed my whole perspective of how I view this story.
Job has just listened to all of this friends and even his wife give him advice. He has had intense conversation with God, and even heard the Lord rebuke his friends for their verbal assaults. But in Job 42:10 it says
The Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends.
Do you see this? When Job prayed for those who offended him. Those who were talking in folly. Those who were slighting him and wronging him. Those whom he probably wanted to walk away from and never see again.
The Lord restored….when he prayed for his friends.
But what did Job pray? Look at Job 42:8. God says that Job is praying that the Lord would “…not deal with you according to your folly”. Job was not praying for vengeance. Instead he was asking God’s favor on those who made him out ot be a fool.
The result of Job’s humble prayers? His fortunes were restored! And not just restored to original, but twice as much!! God takes our humble hearts seriously. He wants us to spend time at His feet, crying out in our circumstances and praying for those who we see struggling. He blesses us for this humble submission to Him.
Isaiah 32:17-18 says:
And the effect of the righteous will be peace,
and the result of the righteousness, quietness and trust forever,
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,
in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
God hears and He will answer!!!
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