How Many Years Did Job Suffer?
The story of Job in the Bible has been the infamous reminder of how enduring bad events with faith and courage can be difficult, and of how, even in the midst of suffering, God is still present and at work. Job has gone down in history as an example of faithfulness in the face of suffering and though many know of the story, only few truly understand the magnitude of pain that Job had to bear.
The Length of Job’s Calamity
Job endured his suffering for almost 7 years. As the story unfolds in the Bible, it is revealed that “Satan inflicted Job’s body with terrible sores from head to foot” and even “Job scraped himself with a potsherd” to relieve the pain of the sores. At the same time, Job and his family lost all their possessions and even their children – Job and his wife were left with nothing else to do than to try to comfort each other in their suffering.
The Tests of a Saint
Despite his suffering, Job continued to persevere:
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- Job refused to forsake his faith – he maintained his trust in God even when times were hard and he withheld his right to blasphemy. Through his faith he kept his hope alive.
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- Job persevered in prayer – he even prayed for those who had caused him to suffer! Through his prayers, Job showed that his faith was unshaken and that he still found peace in talking to God.
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- Job maintained his integrity – even at his lowest point, Job did his best to not give in to temptation. He held fast to his principles, even when the possibility of lashing out was tempted upon him.
Lessons From Job’s Suffering
At the end of the story, Job is restored even more than he had before. His faithfulness in the midst of suffering is marked as an example to follow, and it teaches us:
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- No matter what life throws our way, we should strive to maintain our faith and trust in God.
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- Prayer is a pillar of faith – it unites us to God and can provide us with solace and strength.
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- We should always strive to maintain our integrity – upholding our values and virtues even when we feel like giving up.
Job’s story is a reminder that, even in our most trying times, we can still hang on to our faith and persevere. With a fiery faith, we may yet be good examples, as Job was in his suffering.