Devotions: Promise of Coming Joy

 

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
And your lips with shouting.

Job 8:21 New American Standard Bible 1995

 

This verse comes at the end of an argument by one of Job’s “friends” where he explains why he believes Job was suffering the result of his wickedness. Bildad’s argument stated that the good are always happy and the wicked always fail, so one’s circumstances are the result (and a reflection of) one’s character. However, this is just not true. The book of Psalms has many verses that express this sentiment (that the righteous prosper and the wicked fall) but that is what should happen, and does when all of life is summed up, but sadly sin destroys the proper workings of the world. We do not live in a perfect world. The innocent suffer. The wicked (seem to) succeed. Yet that is only what we can see. There is so much beyond our scope that we cannot comprehend, as is evident in Job’s life. We know, as readers of the book, that there was no one more righteous than Job, and his demise happened not because of his sin, but because of God’s perfect, divine will. In the end all of this is true. When we reach eternity, the righteous will be lifted up and will never cry or suffer again, and the wicked will fall permanently, experiencing the just reward of their sin and unrepentance. But even in this life bad things do not last forever. If we follow God and live righteously, even though we experience times of suffering, they will end and God will lift us up and fill our mouths with laughter again. He made a similar promise to Israel when He prophesied their exile. They would experience a time of sorrow and suffering, of humiliation and pain, but it would not be forever. In the appointed time, God would restore them so that they forgot their time of punishment. Bildad meant this verse as a proof of Job’s character; if he was restored then he was proved righteous, but if not it was proof of his sin. Instead we can take it as a promise of God’s love and goodwill. He will not punish forever. It is not His will that any should suffer or perish. He is eternally good and loving so we can rest assured that trials will not last forever. One day, whether in this life or the next, they will end and we will forget they ever happened. We will be restored, our enemies will be put down, and we will shout with joy!

What are you going through? Is your life full of woe? If you have given your life to God, you can count on the promise that one day you will be restored. Hopefully, it will happen in this life, but it will for sure happen in the next, and Romans 8:18 says that what comes next will be so amazing the bad will pale in comparison. Trust God, rest in His just love, and wait for His restoration and joy.

 

 

 

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