I am sure that when Brother Nichols asked me to speak about the Book of Job, he had no idea that Job is my friend. Job became my friend a few years ago when after some traumatic experiences, I found myself mentally, emotionally, and physically very challenged. It was during this time that my very attentive, now deceased, sister sent me a talk by President Monson. In that talk, President Monson said, "If you are facing a lot of adversity or struggling in life, read the Book of Job" (paraphrased). I took President Monson's advice, read Job, and found a kindred friend.
So very briefly, I am going to recount the Book of Job and then I am going to suggest what we can learn from his story. (If you are well-versed on the Book of Job, you could skip to the blue points below!):
In the beginning of Job, Satan is given permission to tempt and try Job. Job's children and property are taken away. Job's response? He rent his clothes, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshipped God.
But Satan isn't satisfied and complains to God that he wasn't given enough power over him. So God told Satan he could do whatever he wanted but he couldn't take Job's life. Job’s body is covered "with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown" (Job 2:7). Job responds valiantly: "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Up to this point, it seems that Job is doing pretty well but Satan isn't finished.
His friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar hear about his misfortune and “they ... made an appointment ... to come to mourn with him and to comfort him” (2:11). When they see him from afar, they cannot recognize him. Seeing how awful he looks, “they lifted up their voice, and wept” (2:12). “So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven night, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great” (2:13).
After the seventh day, Job begins to speak and his words seem to surprise his friends. They aren't the charactistic words they are used to hearing from Job. He's not saying the typical "naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither" (1:21). No, instead, his words curse life. He wonders why he was even born and why he’s even alive. He says: “I long for death, but it cometh not; and [I] dig for it more than for hid treasures; For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me” (3:21, 25).
Hearing Job’s lamenting and questioning of his life, his friends begin to turn on him. They judged him erroneously and they lose empathy for him.
Job’s friends counsel him but despite it, Job continues to bemoan his grief. Job feels beaten. He questions his past. “Where did I go wrong? Did I not give enough to others? Was I not obedient enough?” He feels unworthy of the Lord’s help and doubts the Lord even cares. He says: “If I had called, and [the Lord] had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice” (9:16). As we can see, he’s feeling a bit bitter.
His friends think he’s lost it and come down hard on him. Bildad tells Job that he doesn’t know God. Zophar calls him a hypocrite and to stop feigning righteousness. He tells him he's brought this upon himself. Eliphaz accuses him of sin and exhorts him to repentance.
Job is completely weary of life. He’s not mentally well and is so confused.
At this point in Job’s story, I want to start shouting to Job—“Hey Job! I’ve read your book! I know how it turns out, Job! Don’t you give up! You keep going!!!"
And you know, Job doesn’t give up—even though he’s been given no witness from the Lord that he’s been heard or even that the Lord cares. Even though he doesn’t even know if there’s any hope for him.
Job knew that God was his only hope, and that there was no other choice but to STAY ON THE PATH. He proclaims: “With [God] is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding" (12:13). "All things are in the hands of the Lord.” (section heading 12).
From this moment, Job seems to gain momentum. To his friends, he begins to powerfully testify of Christ. He speaks boldly to them and says: “Hear diligently my speech (21:2), how long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? (19:2) Why do ye persecute me … and are not satisfied? (19:22) For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth (19:25). [And] he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD” (23:10).
And in the end, indeed Job’s “dross was consumed and his gold was refined” (5th verse of How Firm a Foundation). Job 42:10-12 says: “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.” His flocks were restored; he was blessed with 10 more children and he lived to the age of 140. WOW! :)
So what lessons can be learned from Job? There are so many but time only allots discussion of a few (Feel relieved!):
1) First, we learn that Job struggled! I love the anguish we see so freely displayed in Job. He started out strong but it started to wear on him and his vision suffered. We don’t see this process of becoming, of enduring, very often in scripture stories. So often we hear "always" and "never" statements attached to mere mortals. But with Job, we get a whole book depicting his trial that nearly broke him but that in the end sanctified him. I love it!!
Neal A. Maxwell said: "We must be careful . . . not to canonize [people]…. (to canonize means ‘to glorify’) — not to dry all the human sweat off them, not to put ceaseless smiles on their faces, when they really struggled and experienced agony. Real people who believe and prevail are ultimately more faith-promoting and impressive than saccharine saints with tinsel traits." Saccharine means "to be full of sugar."
2) Next, we learn that when we judge others, as did Job's friends, we lose empathy. Why does that matter? Because when we lose empathy, pride sets in and we start feeling feelings of superiority. We then begin to justify our actions or inactions toward those we are judging.
Through the story of Job, we see the need for empathy and to withhold judgment when others are going through severe trials. We don’t always know WHY people are going through certain trials and we need to be careful not to add to their trial or their God-given weaknesses by our rash counsel and judgments. (We are told in Ether 12 that we are GIVEN weaknesses that we may be humble.)
Neal A. Maxwell said: "As things unfold, sometimes in full view, let us be merciful with each other. We certainly do not criticize hospital patients amid intensive care for looking pale and preoccupied. Why then those recovering from surgery on their souls? No need to stare; those stitches will finally come out. And in this hospital, too, it is important for everyone to remember that the hospital chart is not the patient. Extending our mercy to someone need not wait upon our full understanding of their challenges."
And may I suggest that we may NEVER come to a full understanding of another's challenges. But remember, "empathy is not always reciprocated but empathy is never lost" (Neal A. Maxwell).
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: "It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand. Let us bestow upon our brothers and sisters in the Church a special measure of humanity, compassion, and charity so that they feel, at long last, they have finally found home."
James 1:26 says: "If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, [he] deceiveth his own heart, [therefore] this man's religion is vain." In the footnotes, we learn that vain means "useless, deceptive, and erroneous."
3) Very quickly after talking about the need for empathy, we need to talk about the need of forgiving those who hurt or persecute us.
I love what it says in Job 42:10. I already read this scripture but this time I am going to put the dependent clause first: "WHEN he prayed for his friends, the Lord turned the captivity of Job." We aren't told in the Book of Job that Job prayed for his friends throughout, but from what I know about his character, it isn't hard for me to imagine that Job was seeking the Lord's help to forgive his oppressors continuously. The Lord lifted his captivity AFTER Job prayed to forgive!
Mark 11:25 reiterates why it is so important to forgive: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
There it is. If I want my Savior's mercy, I must have mercy on others! I know I fall short and am in such need of His mercy; how much more then do I need to extend mercy to others. One thing that has helped me in forgiving and accepting others is a quote by Abraham Lincoln. He made a statement during the days of the Civil War, saying that if he had walked in the shoes of the Southerners, he would feel and act and think much the same way. I believe that is true in all situations.
(I just have to interject here and say that I am not the example to look to in this. I am a mere mortal and I fall short. I am working to be better at these points of which I speak but I am not perfect. That reminds me of another quote by Neal A. Maxwell: "I thank the Lord for allowing me, even helping me, to testify of truths known but that are beyond the border of my behavior but for helping me advance that border bit by bit." The example to whom we should look is the Savior.)
In our efforts to forgive, we must remember that God controls the elements of heaven, we don’t. Sometimes forgiveness takes a long time. The ability to forgive another is a gift of the Spirit. We learn in Moroni that EVERYTHING good comes from the Lord. We must recognize our absolute dependence upon Him in order to overcome. How do we do it?
President Kimball said: "One must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom is he dependent? On the Lord. How remind one's self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer."
It comes down to prayer!
President Eyring said : “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in others. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make others’ joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of others.”
We must labor in prayer for the gifts of the Spirit! It will come. We CAN forgive!
It is my testimony that God is about something much bigger than we can comprehend. He knows what He's doing. "When He says, 'Come follow me,' He means He knows the way up and He knows the way out" (Jeffrey R. Holland). I have put that to the test again and again. He has never failed me, only delayed my deliverance. I have become grateful for these delays, for they have taught me of my absolute nothingness, my absolute dependency on Him.
Ye fearful Saints, fresh courage take
The clouds ye so much dread
Are filled with mercy and shall break
With blessings on your head. (Hymn #285)
I love my Savior! I will stay with Him to the bitter end, or should I say the glorious end, because I know He is my only way or means by which I can be saved!
