The Strength of Friendship

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et’s take a careful look at the events in Job 1:6-12:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.

God: ‘Where have you come from?’

Satan: ‘I have been prowling around on the earth, watching everything that’s going on.’

God: ‘Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’

Satan: ‘Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!’

God: ‘All right, you may test him, do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically.’”

For many people, this is one of the most troubling scenes played out in the Bible, perhaps because God allowed something so horrific to happen to someone so holy. Job lost everything, his wealth, his family, and eventually his health, all with God’s approval. We will never understand many things about that scene played out in Job’s life, but the reality is that we see those same kinds of scenes played out in the lives of people we know and love today.

Before we get mad at God, consider what He’s doing for Job and for the readers of this tragedy. The first time we see Satan in scriptures, it was amidst God’s perfect garden. He came to destroy what God established, but he was powerless to rally an army to rival God’s army. Satan was, and is, no match for God. God created humans to be independent thinking instruments of praise, which means we have the free will to choose God over other things and Satan knows that.

Scriptures have pointed out to me that God is primarily concerned with getting those that love Him to join Him in heaven, rather than focusing on the things of this life, like how wealthy, healthy, or happy we are. True happiness will be experienced in His kingdom. Therefore, Satan is on a timer; he only has what time we have during our span on earth to convince us to reject God and live for anything else.

Pain is Satan’s best trick in getting us to turn away from God. I feel confident in saying that it’s for that reason that Satan has worked so hard to destroy families, because of the tremendous pain caused when people God brought together are overcome with so much hurt, disappointments, frustrations, or hate that they disregard one of the purposes of their coming together in the first place.

Paul illustrates this for the Corinthians when he asked them to take back the man that they had discipline in 1 Corinthians 5, so “he won’t be overcome with discouragement.” He was part of a “church family” and he had been involved in things that would hurt the unity of that family, therefore he was punished, but just for a time. Time enough to help him see why he needed those people. Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:8, 10-11, “So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him… [I have forgiven him] for your sakes, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

The goal was to keep him with the family, the problem was that Satan was getting to him through sinful behavior; but we are not ignorant of his schemes. Understanding how Satan works helps us realize the need for brotherly support. The Bible is filled with examples of people coming together to be strengthened by one another. Even in Job’s situation, a bulk of the book is the debates between Job and his “friends.”

Job’s friends came with the intentions of sympathizing with Job, to comfort him, and console him; however, Satan used a tactic that ended up causing Job more pain and frustration. His friends ended up picking Job apart instead of encouraging his continued faithfulness. When trouble strikes, that’s when we need friends more than ever, just as Solomon said in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8-11, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

It seems that Peter acknowledges the influence our spiritual peers have on our lives. Paul described the Spiritual armor we are to wear that helps us stay focused on God’s plan, His goal for our lives, and His ability. However, God has shown all throughout scriptures the need for brothers and sisters to support us. People in our lives to be a support, and at times, we are that person in the life of someone else to support them. Or as Galatians 6:2 states it, “Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

The love we show those in trouble is what will help the world to recognize the difference between Satan and the Creator of all things – God Almighty. John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Let’s never forget that we may be how God chooses to demonstrate His strength to help someone finish the race of life. Job’s pain was an opportunity for friends to strengthen him.

They failed the task: what will you do? I know I have become dependent upon the advice, comfort, and support of Christians running alongside of me.