Tried and Refined

The narrative of Job's life and experiences, as recorded in the book bearing his name, is one with which some of us are familiar. With divine permission, Satan unleashed a wave of events that saw Job - whom God described as unique in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and shunned evil (Job 1:8) - losing his family, his wealth and his health. Unknown to Job, he was like a pawn in a cosmic chess game. Satan had called his integrity and fidelity into question, and God was confident that Job would stand firm against the onslaught. Satan could do whatever he wanted to do with Job, but God had set the boundaries within which he could operate.

Standing firm against Satan's attacks was not easy. Job knew that his life was in the hand of a sovereign God who not only had the power to give but also to take (1:21), and that whatever happened to him had to be permitted by God. To go through difficult times feeling the presence of God can be very comforting, but what happens when God seems nowhere to be found? In reality, God's presence is everywhere, but many are the saints who can voice the words of the Psalmist, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me?" (Psalm 22:1a).

As he struggled under the weight of Satan's hand upon his life, Job lamented, "Even today is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh that I knew where I might find Him! that I might come even to His seat! Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him: On the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him: He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him (Job 23:1-3; 8-9, KJV). However, instead of becoming despondent, he recognized that even if he could not see God, God could see him; even if he did not know where God was, God knew where he was, and so he encouraged himself, "But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (v. 10).

 Job knew something we need to remind ourselves of - nothing touches our lives that do not pass through the hand of God first. Though what had befallen him was Satan's doing, He recognized the hand of God at work in his life. The sovereignty of God meant that there was nothing Satan could do that was not permitted by God. Job knew at the end of his time in the valley, if he remained faithful, he would come out "golden". The same goes for you; the same goes for me. Our challenges can be likened to the refiner's fire. The aim is to purify our hearts, to cleanse us from within, set apart for God and ready to do His will. With this perspective, we will not spend time blaming the devil, but we stand strong, trusting God even when we cannot see Him. He is there working things out, all for our good and all for His glory.