ELIHU'S WISDOM FOR SUFFERING SAINTS

Have the Right View of Yourself

Job had gone too far in proclaiming his innocence. Though he was a righteous man, he was not sinless. We must never forget our great sin and need of God’s grace.

See Job 33:8-9...

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

1 John 1:8–9 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

See Job 34:5-9...

James 4:6 “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

God doesn’t owe us anything except judgment, so don’t ever think that God owes you answers, blessings, or prosperity.

See Job 35:1-8...

We must remember how little we know. We often think that we know what is best for us. God knows infinitely more than us and He knows exactly what we need. We must trust in His good plans and purposes.

Job 34:34–35 “Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’”

Job 37:5 “God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.”

Job 37:19 “Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.”

Job 37:11–13 “He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.”

“The worldling blesses God while He gives him plenty, but the Christian blesses Him when He smites him: he believes Him to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind; he trusts Him where he cannot trace Him, looks up to Him in the darkest hour, and believes that all is well.” — Charles Spurgeon

Don’t use your suffering to excuse your sin.

Job 36:21 “Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.”

Have the Right View of God

Don’t accuse God of injustice, for He never does wrong. If you are a child of God, don’t ever doubt His love and care for you. He will never treat His children like an enemy.

See Job 33:10-12...

Job 34:23 “For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.”

Job 34:10–12 ““Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.”

Affliction isn’t a curse in the life of a believer. It is a blessing. God is demonstrating His great love for you by disciplining you, so that you might share in His holiness.

See Hebrews 12:3-13...

Constantly remind yourself of God’s greatness and glory. As you focus on Him, your faith will be strengthened. You will find yourself praising Him instead of complaining. You will find yourself trusting in His greater wisdom, power, and purposes.

See Job 36:1-7...

See Job 36:22-37:24...

“If you ask, ‘Why is this happening?’ no light may come, but if you ask, ‘How am I to glorify God now?’ there will always be an answer.” — J.I. Packer

Recount the many blessings the Lord has given you and don’t be blind to His goodness, favor, mercy, and grace.

See Job 35:10-16...

Don’t Accuse God of Silence

God may not speak the way we want Him to, but He is never silent.

See Job 33:14-33...

What are some ways that God speaks to us today? His word, people, creation, circumstances, and affliction, to name a few.

Hebrews 1:1–2 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

Learn the Lessons of Affliction

The Lord uses affliction to make us teachable and attentive to Him.

Jeremiah 22:21 “I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice.”

Job 36:15 “He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.”

The Lord uses affliction to rescue us from sin and destruction.

See Job 36:8-16...

The Lord uses affliction to purify us and make us more Christ-like.

Psalm 119:71 “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”

Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.”

Romans 5:3–5 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

The Lord uses affliction to strip us of pride and remind us that He is our only hope. God uses affliction to strengthen our faith in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:8–9 “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10...

The Lord uses affliction to equip us to minister to others who are hurting.

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”