Job 16

Then Job spoke again: "I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won't you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.

(Job 16:1-6)

Suffering has an interesting way of changing how we view others who are suffering. Maybe before this, Job would have dealt with the sufferings of others differently. Maybe he even had a view like his friends; that only wicked people suffer. Now that he was in the midst of suffering himself, he says that he would encourage a suffering friend, and atempt to relieve some of that individual’s grief.

Jesus is the best and most unique friend that we have. Listen to these verses:

Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.

Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.

Because of the way that Jesus suffered, He can relate to us better than anyone else… If we find ourselves going through difficult times, we need to realize that we have in Jesus someone who knows exactly what it is like to suffer.

Beyond this, if we truly want to be “like Jesus”, then we will thank God for those difficult times we have, for they will enable us to offer comfort and hope to others who are suffering!