If Job had a weakness, it was his tongue. He talked excessively. But who could blame him? After being hit by disaster after disaster, there wasn’t a wall left standing in his house, and his loved ones had been wiped out. His wife told poor Job to ‘curse God, and die’ (Job 2:9 KJV). Then his four friends, with all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer, told him he had probably brought all this trouble on himself. We’re thirty-seven chapters into the book of Job before God speaks a word. Chapter 38 begins, ‘Then the Lord answered Job’ (KJV). And after God finished speaking, Job said, ‘I am not worthy; I cannot answer you anything, so I will put my hand over my mouth’ (40:4 NCV). Notice that before he heard from God, Job couldn’t talk enough? But after he heard from God, he couldn’t talk at all. The only thing Job got right was: ‘Even if God kills me, I have hope in him’ (13:15 NCV).After we’ve talked, or even complained to God about a problem, often the best thing to do next is to trust, not talk; to submit, not speak. Job didn’t know it at the time, but God’s plan was to give him twice as much in the end as he had lost. And it happened when he stopped focusing on his own problems and started praying for his friends (see 42:10). So, be still. Be open and willing. God is still on the throne. He is in control of every detail of your life. Even in the worst of circumstances, He has your best interest at heart. Psalm 138 says, ‘The Lord will vindicate me’ (v.8 NIV). And often, that’s all you need to know! God will do the rest.
