My experience in the Christian life often feels like being on a train that’s traveling through the mountains. One minute the view out my window is crisp and clear. I am certain of how to do right in the eyes of God. But the next minute, I am in a tunnel, and the once-clear view goes dark. Life gets complicated, and I am not sure how to navigate it in a righteous way. In these times, I have often asked the questions that Bildad did: “How can a person be justified before God? How can one born of woman be pure?” (Job 25:4–5).
Instead of directly answering Bildad’s question, Job replies with a list of acts that exemplify God’s power: “By His power He stirred the sea… By His breath the heavens gained their beauty” (Job 26:12–13). Similar to our reading from yesterday, it seems that Job is asking a better question now. Instead of how—How can man be righteous?—he asks who—Who is God? These questions might seem unrelated, but one must be asked before the other can be answered.
A few years ago, during a tunnel season of intense anxiety, I felt like I could not see up from down. I wasn’t sure what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. Thinking and analyzing my way through things wasn’t working; it simply increased my anxiety. Finally, I turned to what I knew. Each morning, I wrote down five things I knew to be true about God, even if I only believed it that day. I scrawled truths like, He is fighting for me. He is my Creator. And eventually I began to write, He is good.
This was not a quick fix for my anxiety, but it helped me weather the season until I came out the other side, and it taught me that when it comes to our own righteousness, the question is not how but who. When I am asking what to do, what is right, I need a friend to tell me, as Job told Bildad, “I will teach you about God’s power” (Job 27:11).
This is where our rightness begins, with a God who loves us, and in that love sent His Son to make us righteous. If we stand any chance of doing good on this earth, our actions must be motivated and sustained by that love—the love of Christ and of the Father who sent Him. It is the who that makes us good, not the how. And while the how may change as we grow and learn in faith, the who never does. The truth of Christ remains the same.
May we rest in God’s goodness today and let go of the quest for our own. For in the end it is all by His power; it is all by His breath.
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32 thoughts on "Bildad’s Third Speech and Job’s Reply"
The joys we can find through the trials are that God is good.
God is unchanging. Even through the suffering or hard times, he still loves us and we still love him. Knowing this means he is good and the suffering cannot pull us away from him, but perhaps we can us it as leaning further into him. “Count it all joys my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds” James 1:2.
The joys we can find in the suffering are that God is good and will always be good.
I love the idea of writing 5 things you know to be true about God.
I have been walking through a season of intense anxiety and worry. This was so relevant today.
Lord i look to you for all things.
God will cover me in the midst of it all.
I’m reading this alongside Jeremiah during Lent 2020. Corona Virus is a thing and many people feel uncertain and anxious: who’s sick? Am I sick? How long will this go on for? How will I pay my bills? How will I make it through isolation as an extrovert?
This is such a beautiful reminder in such a universally thought time to remember WHO our God is because He is still with us, even in the suffering.
Loved this devotional. I’m like Job in this season of wrestling with my faith, and asking questions about Gods goodness. I love how she said she writes 5 things she knows about who God is. I need to start doing that. Even if it takes awhile to believe some of those things.
Such a good reminder for me to focus on the Who. I’ve been experiencing negativity on some of the ‘Hows’ in service since it’s new uncharted waters we’re threading. It’s discouraging and painful but God is my anchor through this. It’s not my quest or anyone’s quest. It’s about His Kingdom.
So good – crazy to me too that Job had an understanding of the weight of water in clouds, how the earth hung on nothing and he would have had no way of knowing that truly without God. ❤️
he doesn’t expect us to have it all figured out or be perfect, His goodness and righteousness is always enough!
Beautiful message! This was such an encouragement to me tonight. I’ve never been one to stress, but I was overtaken with anxiety as I was going to bed tonight, and I found myself having the first anxiety attack of my entire life. I immediately started reading this lesson, and it was a good remedy to calm myself down. God is never changing, and he will be in control no matter what if we give ourselves completely to him. He is good, and he is strong enough to ease my anxiety among numerous other things! Such a great reminder!
I’m currently in that tunnel of anxiety/depression of which Andrea speaks. The timing of this study is only of God!
Was listening to a spontaneous worship song that says “You are who you really say you are God”. His nature is constant, true, solid and that we can anchor on that through our seasons.
“Who is my God? What do I know to be true of Him?” So often I get carried away with me. My needs, my questions, my wants, my etc. I think the other day I mentioned that I’ve just been feeling restless recently. Like I’m coming to a change but I don’t know what it is. It makes me a bit anxious. But I need to be shoring my heart up with these questions. Because I can’t truly trust God if I don’t know Him. And I can’t know Him well if I’m focusing on my stuff. I need to let my restless drive me to Him – my anchor in every storm.
I needed to hear this today. Not the “how” but the “who”… a year ago I graduated form college where I majored in Biology. My plans after college where to try and get into Veterinary School and become a DVM. Unfortunately I’ve struggled for a very long time with PTSD and a lot of anxiety and it has made it extra hard for me to finish the admission process. I had already asked for letters of recomedation and did a semester worth of practice at a Veterinary Clinic but I still got a long way to go, tests to take, essays to make, etc. Yet somehow I feel stuck because my anxiety hasn’t let me leave the house and do what I thought I wanted to do which was become a DVM. I still don’t know if that is God’s plan for me and I’ve been praying all this year for enlightenment and clarity. But somehow today’s devotional has calmed me a little by letting me know that I shouldn’t be focused on the HOW but in WHO. I hope God answers my prayers soon and teaches me how to trust HIM more.
It is not the “how” but “who”. It is the “who” that makes us good not the “how”. Christ remains the same. I needed to hear this this morning. Thank you Amanda for your great insights and encouragement. So thankful for a God that does not change. Thank you also Amanda for your transparency. For the past year and a half almost 2 years I struggled with anxiety mainly due to my separation of my kids dad. And the unknown. But I know one thing for sure. God loves me. God‘s love will never change for me. God‘s love remains the same. And it’s only because of Christ of where I am today. I am stronger today because Christ.
God is good. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He will never leave me. He keeps His promises. Such an amazing God. So I’ve heard back from several internships that I applied to, and I did not get them. But, the only one I did get is a marine park in Hawaii! But I did not accept it yet, because I am still trying to figure out details (living situation, renting a car, etc) and see if it would even be doable (it is definitely expensive). It would definitely be an amazing opportunity to explore my career field there, so just praying that God would guide me to what He wants me to do. Prayers appreciated! Love you all!
Praying for you, Sarah: clarity, courage & peace
Wow, Sarah! Praying God gives you wisdom and leads you where He wants you. Also praying for His provision if Hawaii is where He wants you!
Thank you! Job’s focus on Who God is never let him put himself or others above our Mighty God. Creator Savior Merciful Prince of Peace Everlasting God, and this just scratches the surface. May we praise Him and may He be our joy, our song, our light. Love to you all. His love never fails. Pour it out.
Thank you Andrea. I am going to share this daily practice with my daughter who is struggling with anxiety and depression and will make this a daily habit for myself.
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Thanks Andrea, super powerful and like others have said, great morning practice! ✨
+1
Absolutely love this devotion! Thank you, Andrea, for these sweet and powerful words.
Loved this lesson! The memory verse for this week reminds me of the Hillsong song “So Will I”.
❤️
The truth of God and offering Him praise.
Who? John 3:16.
How? Romans 10:9.
No other way to righteousness.
I love the idea of writing down five truths that I know about who God is! It is all about him, not me. What a powerful way to anchor my perspective and fix my focus. Thank you for this Aha moment!
What a powerful daily practice!!!