There are a few times in my life that I have fallen short as a friend. There are also times in my life that friends have failed me. I have to be completely honest, it is the Christian friends that come down on the side of condemnation that can make it hardest to pull myself up from a tough situation.
Eliphaz falls into the trap of condemnation. In Job 22, we hear condemnation. I think Eliphaz has a good heart and loves Job, I just don't think he understands. We know he is reacting out of fear and out of the only things he knows. He doesn't understand that the things Job is experiencing having nothing to do with Job as a person, so it blinds Eliphaz from the entire truth.
Job 22:21-22 "Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.
This is good advice and yet, it isn't because he doesn't know all the details.
It is easy to think of a to-do list when we don't know any other way. As a Christian friend I can tell you if you just lived with more obedience and peace life would be better for you. In that very statement lies the truth and a lie. God does promise us a life abundant, but it doesn't include a life without pain and suffering. We all endure trials and heartache. Remember that when you give a friend encouragement to be by their side in love and not in the place of giving the to-do's or the condemnation.
"If only you had more faith"
"If only you were more obedient"
"If only you read your Word more"
"If only you prayed more"
"If only you loved more, had more self control, had more patience..........."
While we all do our best to live in black and white, the story of Job reminds us that there is a gray. There are things going on we can't predict and we can't fix by our actions.
Pray for Erika W this week.
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