Job thought it was a great benefit to him. This is how he put it in Job 42:
Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 ‘I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, “Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?”
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 ‘You said, “Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.”
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes’....
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before....
12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys (Job 42:1-6, 10, 12 NIV).
So for Job to conclude that he knew the Lord can do all things and that no purpose of the Lord can be thwarted and he needed to despise himself and repent in dust and ashes - surely that was a good experience through severe trials.
Job's experience is similar to that taught by James:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4 NIV).
I know from personal experience but it doesn't feel like "pure joy" when going through "triels of many kinds". I preached on it in,
Turning trash into treasure (James 1:2-4).
Oz
Agree. No one prays "Lord, let me suffer loss. Give me an illness. I plead with you, give me a struggle." We would never pray for it before going into it. But when a new perspective on life comes, we thank and praise God for that new perspective.
"Turning trash into treasure." God is masterful at it! Psalm 113:7-8
[7] He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; [8] That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
We know what dung is. Everything the world says brings furfill and contentment. It is a matter of perspective and Job was blessed with a new one:
Job 42:3-6
[3] Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that
I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. [4] Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. [5] I
have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. [6] Wherefore I abhor myself , and repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:12-15
12] So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. [13] He had also seven sons and three daughters. [14] And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. [15] And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
The questions is: what holds a place over God in a persons heart?
Mark 10:29-30
[29] And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, [30] But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
The obstacle of Job:
Job 42:11
[11] Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all
the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
But they "did eat bread" and "comforted".
Romans 8:28
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Which means "evil" has lost its power when every single thing works together for "good."
Romans 8:18-20
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. [20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
