“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he
prayed for his friends…” Job 42:10
Job, through no fault of his own, lost his children, his wealth, his
health and even the support of his wife. He was destitute and in a
miserable condition when ‘friends’ came to comfort him. Their
comfort consisted of trying to analyze what Job had done wrong to
have such an onslaught of unfortunate events befall him. They did
not offer hope or true consolation to Job but rather proved to be a
thorn in the flesh.
There are people in life that in the name of friendship, family,
saints, etc. claim to have our best interest at heart but only serve
to cause trouble and problems. These kind of people usually claim to
operate under the umbrella of truth and righteousness, claiming to
have the ‘right’ perspective. Often times, they are self-righteous
and unable or unwilling to see their own problems and needs. They
offer advice and ‘solutions’ that don’t bring about deliverance or
comfort. These kind of people are trials and fulfill the adage, “Who
needs enemies when you have friends like these?”
God had been in control the whole time as Job was facing serious
difficulties. When Job, in love and humility, prayed for his
friends, God turned the captivity of Job and brought deliverance.
While we too will have people in our lives that are overbearing and
difficult to work with and sometimes fellowship with, let us with a
heart of forgiveness and love pray for them. In doing this, we will
find a deliverance and freedom and the enemy will find no place for
bitterness to take root.
