Dealing With Difficulty

The Way Job Approached His Problems:

1. Job initially approached his problems with real emotion – intense grief.

a. Let us not be afraid of real emotion.

b. Sometimes life hurts and dealing with that pain is part of the process.

c. It is much healthier and much better to be real with your emotion than to put on a mask and fake your way through.

2. Job initially approached his problems with humility and worship.

a. Job’s expression of worship teaches us that real worship doesn’t focus on what God does or doesn’t do, but rather on who He is.

b. Job wasn’t willing to allow circumstances to change his opinion about God.

c. Job wasn’t even willing to be influenced by his wife or those around him that tried to convince him to blame or give up on God.

i. We have to be able to stand for God on our own and not allow others around us to force us one way or the other.

3. As time went on, Job approached his problems with doubt and discouragement that was real.

a. The longer you have to deal with something, the harder it often becomes to deal with it.

b. Doubt and discouragement are growing issues. Questions creep in and cast uncertainty upon the situation.

c. It has often been said that time heals all wounds, but it can also be said that time can also deepen wounds.

d. Any time that people try to hide inside of their real feelings or emotions, they are hiding from an opportunity to be healed and free.

4. Job approached his problems by being open, honest and real with God. He didn’t rebel and complain but went directly to God.

a. Here is the real key. God is not afraid of our emotions and feelings.

b. It is much more beneficial to our spirit to be completely open with God.

c. How many times do we try to maintain some sense of dignity or control by putting on a mask to cover what is really going on?

d. A recent American Idol contestant said this: “I would rather lose being myself than to win being someone I am not.”

i. We should approach God in that manner, knowing that we always win when we are real before Him.

5. God ultimately responded to Job by restoring back to him what had been lost and also praising him for speaking “what is right” (42:7).

a. We often get so caught up in the content of our prayers to God when all the while God is looking at the intent of our prayer.

b. God isn’t theologically grading us. God is looking for sincerity and honesty from our hearts.

c. Consider the different approaches of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14).

i. God wasn’t impressed by the fancy words of the Pharisee because they came from a wrong motive and spirit.

ii. God was pleased with the tax collector because he was real and open before God.