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What a season!  It has been weeks since the ground in Northeast Ohio wasn’t snow covered. Who can ever remember Texas being a frozen tundra and Nashville seemingly under siege for a year (a tornado, terrorist attack, and now a deep freeze)?!  Oh, and, by the way, it has been almost a year of wearing masks and watching nonstop political acrimony. What a season!  And then this week, I read about Job. He is certainly the poster child for ‘what a season!’

Paul Harvey brought smiles to millions with the rest of the story.  However, his humorous and profound stories are no match for the rest of the story found in Job chapter forty-two. What we see of Job’s life through the pages of Scripture causes us to “feel his pain” and genuinely hurt for him. Losing his family, being directly attacked by Satan, and the condescension of his friends all took their toll. We catch a glimpse of his pain through his emotional and passionate words. But then something happened: God spoke! And the rest of the story is a picture of grace, forgiveness, healing and restoration.

If you have read the book of Job, you know God speaks in chapters 38-41. The counsel of others brought hurt, not help, in the midst of Job’s plight. But when God spoke, Job was deeply moved. Principles from Job chapter forty-two provide a dramatic conclusion. Let the rest of his story give hope for your journey.

I know that you can do all
things; no plan of yours can be
thwarted. You asked, ‘Who
is this that obscures my counsel
without knowledge?’ Surely I
spoke of things I did not
understand, things too wonderful
for me to know.

My ears had heard of you but
now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself and
repent in dust and ashes.

Job 42:2-3, 5-6

For lack of a better way to say it, after God spoke Job got the message. He acknowledges God’s power and responds to God’s wisdom. And although I cannot know the depths of verse five, I believe Job was now seeing with eyes of faith and understanding that gave him the ability to accept God’s plan. Can you remember a time where your hearing became seeing, and your view of God’s plan became clear? And then when Job’s eyes were opened, repentance came. Whether at the moment of salvation, or along the spiritual journey, when our eyes are opened to our sin, repentance is needed.

As the rest of the story nears its conclusion, reconciliation between Job and his friends is in full view. God gave strong instructions to Job’s friends and Job prayed for them. It was after this prayer that God restored to Job prosperity and blessed him again with ten more children. I sensed a heart of forgiveness in Job as he prayed for those who abused him. I sensed a heart of grace from God to restore Job’s wealth and give him children. I am profoundly touched by the words of verse twelve. “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first.” (WOW!) When we face trials, do we really believe that what God has for us is better than anything we could imagine or wish for ourselves outside of that trial?

What a season! I can’t speak to global weather patterns, awful viruses and political acrimony, but I know God is in control. And God knew what He was doing with Job in his tough season. He also knows what He is doing with you and me. He knows the rest of our story.

So hold tight in your current season, and trust God with your story.