Author: Beula Igiraneza

One quite inspiring Bible character is a man called Job. From the beginning of the first chapter in this very book, Job was a fulfilled person with so much wealth and His righteousness was one to talk about for many generations. God Himself felt joyous as He talked about him with Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). I can imagine the smile God might have had on as He said those words. The devil being himself started doing what he does best, which is indulging us in endless accusations: “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face” (Job 1:10-11). All the devil wanted was to take Job’s contentment away which he ultimately tried to do, but only because God had allowed it. In my understanding, God knew very well of Job’s genuine love towards Him and according to the promise which lies in His word, “…God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13); He wasn’t intending on letting him fight alone. The devil took away Job’s children, cattle, wealth, and he caused infirmity to his body. Throughout the whole misery that Job went through, God never left him by himself. I used to think that Job’s hardships might have not been that tough or that since God called him a ‘righteous’ person, his faith must have been so mighty to take him through. I thought that people like Job who were righteous in the face of God knew very well how to deal with pain on an extraordinary level. Sometimes we think that Bible characters were more fit than we are and that going through hardships was easier for them. I told myself that maybe pain felt different and more bearable for them since they had a special relationship with God, but I was wrong. Job got hurt! He was hurt and was left with no person to turn to. His wife and friends were determined to discourage him to a point where he’d give up on God. Apparently, this man suffered! It looks as though he was challenged the same way we, people of the modern age, suffer indeed. I told myself.