“There is no certainty, only opportunity.” V for Vendetta (2005) Listen Active listening skills are a subtle but effective way to perform better in all areas of life, but especially on job interviews. Half of all communication is listening but few of us get any training on how to do it well. Fortunately, listening [...]
Tag Archives: Job
Managing Our Expectations: Mr and Mrs Job
Lesson from Job We recently comleted a series on Job. One of my regular readers (yes, I do have a few of those) sent in the following (edited) comment which brought up another issue that I thought we’d address. “I am really enjoying this series! Like many others, I have never given any serious thought to [...]
Facing Trials: Mrs. Job [5]
Mrs. Job has been left alone, except by God, in her darkest hour. Who has come to speak with and for Mrs. Job? No one. Who has offered her comfort? No one. No one! This is an important concept for us to grasp. God will not condemn you for your rebellious anger. Look [...]
Facing Trials: Mrs. Job [4]
This brief study of Mrs. Job is study in grief and how we all react to it. When we are faced with grief and suffering, there are two possible avenues open to us in terms of how we get through. We can choose resignation or rebellion. Job took the route of resignation, which is [...]
Facing Trials: Mrs. Job [3]
All the stories about her being the devils accomplice are nothing but slander, because no one can say for sure. We don’t find anywhere in the scripture that God condemns her. Instead, what we read is that she becomes the wife and mother of the ideal family once again, and they live happily ever [...]
Facing Trials: Mrs. Job [2]
Even though the text clearly lays out the details of Job’s suffering and what his friends say, and what God says, Mrs. Job gets about 10 words. This is not surprising because this is a patriarchal society. Her marriage was probably arranged, but they have been together a long time, and I suspect that [...]
Facing Trials: Mrs. Job [part 1]
Mrs. Job takes a pretty stiff hit for having said so few words. Let’s try to really look at what’s happening here. First we have to “get the facts.” Well, we obviously can’t get the facts first-hand so we have to rely on Biblical versions and translations. Here is what happens according to [...]
Facing Trials: Job [21]
Why do we have troubles in our lives? The first reason the Lord sends or allows troubles is, disciplinary or for correction. The second purpose for Christian suffering is a trial of faith. This is the type of trial which God spoke of through the prophet Zechariah. He calls it a trial by fire: [...]
Facing Trials: Job [20]
What is the purpose of this story? It is about pain and suffering and God and faith. Depending on the individual and the circumstances, God can use suffering for various reasons. Suffering can be viewed as part of punishment for unbelievers. Used in this way, the word means to suffer with no beneficial intent or results. As [...]
Facing Trials: Job [19]
God restores Job’s prosperity, and he lived another 140 years. It was a long and peaceful time during which he lived to see his children’s children “to the fourth generation” (Job 42:16) But, no doubt, Job never forgot his trials. He must often have thought of how in his darkest hour, he was able [...]
Facing Trials: Job [18]
Although both Job and his friends had sinned, the Lord was pleased with Job and not with the other three. Text:Job 42:7-17 As indicated earlier, it was faith that distinguished Job from Elipjaz, Bildad, and Zophar. More importantly, Job repented of his sins, while the friends did not acknowledge any evil on their part. [...]
Facing Trials: Job [17]
God has finished speaking. And now…Job realizes he has been foolish to question God’s wisdom and justice: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ”Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?” Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too [...]
Facing Trials: Job [16]
God is speaking to Job, but rather than discussing his obvious troubles, the Almighty draws Job’s eyes away from his sufferings, away from himself and to the grandeur of his God. To begin with, God demonstrates that his wisdom and power are infinitely beyond that of any human being. “Do you send the lightning [...]
Facing Trials: Job [15]
Job has heard from three of his friends and a young interloper. Job can’t quite seem to decide if God is arbitrary or just cruel. The question plaguing him is, “why do the good suffer?” As Elihu completes his speech, he notices a storm arriving from the north. God is in the storm, [...]
Martina G. McGowan
