When they just don’t get it
“What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?” ~ Job 15:9
This chapter in Job is one of those chapters that doesn’t feel encouraging at first glance. Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, responded to Job’s cries with criticism and condemnation. Instead of offering comfort, he accused Job of pride, wickedness, and arrogance. He questioned Job’s wisdom, implying that no one righteous would speak the way Job has. It’s painful to read, especially if you’ve ever been misunderstood in your own season of suffering.
I remember a time in my life when I was walking through a tough season. I struggling to make ends meet and desperate to have a change in my circumstances and everything I leaned on for stability. Emotionally, I was drained. Spiritually, I was clinging to the Lord with what little strength I had left. The people around me didn’t see the internal battle. Instead, they assumed I was making wrong choices or had hidden sin. Like Eliphaz, they tried to “fix” me with sharp words rather than support me with prayer and compassion.
It hurt deeply and yet, I can see now how God used that time, not only to strengthen me, but also to help me recognize that people aren’t always equipped to understand your journey. Job’s experience shows us that even the most well-meaning friends can speak from a place of limited understanding, and their words, though loud, don’t always speak truth.
So, what is the answer? How do you handle things when your friends and family are coming at you with their answers and judgements? Here are some things you can do the next time you are struggling and people around you want to tell you what you need to do or why the pain is in your life:
- Guard your heart when you’re criticized.
Not all feedback is helpful. Before you accept someone’s opinion as truth, hold it up to what you know about God’s character and His voice in your life. Let scripture be your wisdom when people are sharing theirs. - Let God be your defense.
Job didn’t have to prove his righteousness to his friends, he trusted that God saw the full picture. You don’t need to spend energy trying to convince others of your heart. Keep walking in integrity, and God will take care of your reputation in His time. - Choose compassion over accusation.
When others are suffering, resist the urge to correct or analyze. Be present. Pray. Ask how you can help and truly listen. - Know that you’re not alone.
If you’re in a season where your pain is misunderstood, take heart and remember that Job was there too. God never left him, and He won’t leave you either. - Stay grounded in truth.
Eliphaz questioned Job’s understanding, but Job knew his heart. Keep returning to God’s Word and His promises, especially when the opinions of others are loud.
Start preparing to day by following the suggestions below:
- Spend time in quiet with the Lord each day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Let Him remind you of who you are and who He is.
- Write down words others have spoken that wounded you, and surrender them in prayer. Ask God to silence anything that doesn’t come from Him.
- If you’re walking with someone who’s hurting, ask them how you can support them this week without offering advice, just your presence.
- Use your pain as a reminder to turn it into praise. God has a plan and a purpose that is good and a future of hope.
Today I want to encourage you that even the most faithful can be misunderstood. But God is never confused. He sees the whole story. He knows your motives, your heartache, and your desires to do what’s right, even when the path is painful. Let His voice be the loudest in your life. When others question your heart, let Him be your peace. In the end, Job’s story wasn’t defined by the accusations, it was defined by God’s faithfulness.
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk! You are nothing but a windbag.
3 The wise don’t engage in empty chatter. What good are such words?
4 Have you no fear of God, no reverence for him?
5 Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Your words are based on clever deception.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Your own lips testify against you.
7 “Were you the first person ever born? Were you born before the hills were made?
8 Were you listening at God’s secret council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
9 What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that we do not?
10 On our side are aged, gray-haired men much older than your father!
11 “Is God’s comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough?
12 What has taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision,
13 that you turn against God and say all these evil things?
14 Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just?
15 Look, God does not even trust the angels. Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight.
16 How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!
17 “If you will listen, I will show you. I will answer you from my own experience.
18 And it is confirmed by the reports of wise men who have heard the same thing from their fathers—
19 from those to whom the land was given long before any foreigners arrived.
20 “The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives. Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless.
21 The sound of terror rings in their ears, and even on good days they fear the attack of the destroyer.
22 They dare not go out into the darkness for fear they will be murdered.
23 They wander around, saying, ‘Where can I find bread?’ They know their day of destruction is near.
24 That dark day terrifies them. They live in distress and anguish, like a king preparing for battle.
25 For they shake their fists at God, defying the Almighty.
26 Holding their strong shields, they defiantly charge against him.
27 “These wicked people are heavy and prosperous; their waists bulge with fat.
28 But their cities will be ruined. They will live in abandoned houses that are ready to tumble down.
29 Their riches will not last, and their wealth will not endure. Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.
30 “They will not escape the darkness. The burning sun will wither their shoots, and the breath of God will destroy them.
31 Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches, for emptiness will be their only reward.
32 They will be cut down in the prime of life; their branches will never again be green.
33 They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested too early, like an olive tree that loses its blossoms before the fruit can form.
34 For the godless are barren. Their homes, enriched through bribery, will burn.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. Their womb produces deceit.”
Journal:
- Has there been a time when someone misunderstood your pain or wrongly judged your actions?
- How did you respond, and what would you want to do differently now, knowing God sees and defends you?
The Daily Dose 