Day 2 – Learning to Wait Well.

In the Book of Job, God acknowledged Job’s character to Satan, declaring that he was “perfect and upright, one that feared God and stayed away from evil.” Satan replied that Job’s fear of God only existed because God had protected and blessed him, making him the wealthiest man in the entire region. He went so far as to claim that if God removed everything Job had, he would curse God to His face.

When God allowed all of Job’s possessions, his servants, his livestock, and even his children to perish in one day, the first thing Job did was worship God. Job 1:20-21 says: “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.’”

Essentially, Job was saying that whether he experienced scarcity or abundance, whether he was broke or rich, and whether he was alone or surrounded by family, his allegiance remained with God. Our relationship with God is not based on blessings but on covenant. What a powerful initial response to affliction!

After witnessing this, God pointed out to Satan that his assumptions about Job had been proven false. Satan then claimed that if God afflicted Job’s body, he would surely curse Him. Confident in Job, God permitted this as well, and Job became covered in painful boils from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Despite the excruciating pain and his wife’s urging to “curse God and die,” Job refused. Once again, he displayed his deep reverence for God.

Even his friend Zophar, using human logic, accused Job of deserving what he was experiencing (Job 11:6), unaware that this was completely false. The lesson here is that advice from friends can be helpful, but other people are not always privy to the sovereign movements of God.

However, like many of us, Job was not perfect. The stress and turmoil eventually became unbearable, and he began to detest life, declare his own righteousness, and complain to God. Some might argue that complaining was justified in his situation, but Philippians 2:14 commands us, “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” This instructs us to guard our hearts against murmuring, even in times of temporary discomfort. Instead, we should maintain a heart posture of patient but courageous faith (Psalm 27:14), trusting that God will deliver us at the appointed time and remembering that He is always with us, even in hard times.

At the end of all his trials and tribulations, Job was restored and given twice as much as he had before. He was blessed with seven more sons and three more daughters. He lived 140 years after that and saw four generations of his children and grandchildren.

The moral of this story is that God is always faithful and will never allow us to suffer more than we can handle or wait longer than necessary. What you are experiencing may be a test rather than a punishment – an expansion of your capacity to handle future blessings rather than an increase in tribulation.

Let’s learn to wait well in Jesus’ mighty name. Hallelujah!

Reflection Prompt

1. What is your heart posture when waiting on God to deliver you from affliction or to bring a promise to pass? Is it one filled with anxiety, impatience, or complaining? If yes, based on today’s devotional, how can we change that?
2. What are ways you can wait in ways that are pleasing to God?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come to you with a heart of gratitude in awe of your power. May the way we wait upon your deliverance, your mercy, your breakthrough be pleasing to you. May we never forget the times you have delivered us before and may we never lose faith that you will deliver us again. We bless your Holy Name no matter life circumstances. Amen

Devotional Written By: Jah Barnes