How to Comfort Someone
from the Journals of Marsha Iddings
Job 2:9-10"...shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil..."
God never promised we'd have no trouble. If it were that way we'd never appreciate the good or the good times. The bad times push us on to more mature growth.
Job 2:11; 3:1-26
2:11-13 tells how Job's three friends came and sat with him and mourned with him and said nothing. Sometimes that is the best thing you can do when someone is grieving or very ill—just sit with them. They don't need advice or even conversation. Just someone to be with them and care for them.
Chapter 3: Job pours out his sorrow. He wishes he were dead and can't understand why God is allowing these hardships. It is almost like some of David's Psalms where he has had tough times. It comforts me to read these accounts and to realize that even the saints of old were human in their feelings and thoughts during hard times. It's ok to "spill the beans" about how I feel to God. He's not going to shoot me down for it.
Job 4
Job's friend wasn't a very good comforter when he decided to open his mouth with "advice". He basically is charging Job with guilt because he sys the innocent do not suffer. How often do well meaning Christian "friends" try to convince a suffering fellow-believer that there must be sin in his life in order for God to allow him to suffer like that?
Job 6
The only verse that really stands out is verse 14. "To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty."
Perhaps this jumped out at me because it shows what the afflicted want and need. Pity in this context refers to kindness and compassion. So often Christians are prone to repeat "spiritual platitudes" like "give it to God" or "I'll pray for you" etc. When they really mean, "I've heard enough now." The suffering person needs a compassionate ear and maybe even some tangible help.
No comments:
Post a Comment