A few final Job thoughts

I have loved studying Job this past week. In our Sunday School discussion on him some of the class members got a little stuck on who Job really was, and if the conversation between God and Satan was real because that doesn't seem like in God's nature in how he deals with people, and the suchlike. Unfortunately, many of the great, inspiring and life changing principles were not talked about because these questions took over the majority of the lesson. Because I think I was changed, again, as I studied Job. I say again, because I seem to learn lessons from the scriptures over and over again. I learn one principle, then another one, then a few more, then learn the first principle and get excited all over again. Can you see why I have scripture cravings often?

Anyway, Job always gives me a clear perspective on my trials. And not just I shouldn't complain about my trials, it really digs into my heart and helps me realize the real God-like perspective of a life. Here are my trials and how Job helped me put them in perspective.

Problem #1 My husband's job. We have been trying to get a job for my husband ever since he got laid of of his job last July and started graduate school. (That's actually why we started graduate school) He has had some temporary jobs with no connection to his field, and even when he did get a job in his field he got fired very unexpectedly, unlawfully and even heartbreakingly for him and our family. However as I do look back on the year, financially we have been very blessed to actually be able to pay for everything, even for the house our renters didn't pay rent for nearly three months. It has tested our faith, but still even one year after being on this unemployment journey we have hope that he will get a job, and God still has a plan and a path for us. Joseph Smith's family moved many many times in his early childhood because of crop failure, sickness, and financial investments that didn't work out. They finally made it to Palmyra where he was able to pray in the Sacred Grove and later be able to dig up the plates that he could translate into the Book of Mormon. I feel his family was helped to make it to Palmyra so all these wonderful events could happen. I feel our family is also being blessed to be where we need to be, which is where God wants us. My husband currently does have a job working 30 hours a week for which we are very grateful, and which was supposed to end one month ago, but keeps getting extended. But we are still hopeful he will receive a job that will give him the experience he needs to get a good one after he's finished with school.

Job's perspective. He lost not just his job, but ALL of his financial assets in one day. One day! The hardest part for me in this whole job situation is what other people will think of us. (I know I still have sins to work on.) But even when Job had lost his family, his job, AND his health, his friends started asking what sins he had need to repent of. Job begged and pleaded with the Lord earlier to tell him what his sin was so he could repent if his suffering was because of sin. He knew he was right with God, and that is all that mattered. Even when his friends started questioning it, he knew he was on God's path for him. We have so many friends and family supporting and loving and caring for us, and not judging our situation, we feel doubly blessed. Although this is a hard trial and I sometimes do fall and want to make sure everyone in the world knows we are doing what we can to get a job, we're not being lazy or even too picky, in the end, their views don't matter. And we feel hope and peace about it because we know we're on God's path and doing everything we can on our end, just like Job.

Problem #2 Our car. It started jolting forward and sounding like we were in third gear when we were going from stop to about 25 mph. We took it in to get fixed and were told it was our transmission, which early estimates have been roughly $1800-$2400. Remember that's us that haven't had a steady income for one year. That is in graduate school with two kids?

Job's perspective. A car problem? A financial problem? I think I have been feeling so much peace about this one because we have again been doing everything we can, and this problem is SOOO small compared to losing a family member, or having ill health. Not that the car is going to miraculously fix itself. But I feel something miraculous will happen to get it fixed. Whether it is Eric will get a job that will pay for his schooling, or we find just enough to fix the car and pay for school in our student loans, it will be taken care of.

Now these are just two of the things we are facing right now, but I am so glad Job could again emphasize the things we need to be doing, and realizing there is so much goodness in life no matter your circumstance. And to end with a quote by Elder Harold B. Lee:

“‘It is not the function of religion to answer all questions about God’s moral government of the universe, but to give courage (through faith) to go on in the face of questions he never finds the answer to in his present status. Therefore, take heed of yourselves, and as a wise world thinker once said, “If the time comes when you feel you can no longer hold to your faith, then hold to it anyway. You cannot go into tomorrow’s uncertainty and dangers without faith”‘ ( Church News, source not quoted).” (Keith H. Meservy, “Job: ‘Yet Will I Trust in Him,’” pp. 139–53.)