After all of Job’s troubles come in Chapter 1 and 2, Job’s three friends come to see him. Job 2:12 says that his friends “scarcely recognized him” he was so disfigured from being covered from head to toe in boils and scraping them with broken pottery just to find some relief. These were his friends – we often forget that because we view their accusations as “not friendlike”. They knew Job.
Here’s the interesting thing to me. Job 2:13 (NLT) “They sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.” Wow! In our microwave society, how often do we want to “fix” it… quickly, because Heroes is going to be on in 30 minutes…
We all understand biblical comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4
), as we learned on Quest, and I believe it is an amazing process that Father has put in the heart of man to comfort each other, our wives and our children, but I think there are times when no words at all is warranted. There are times when we just need to be there and say nothing. I don’t always have to offer some words of comfort, sometimes just the presence of a friend physically standing with you is O so powerful. The lyric from the C&W song “You say it best, when you say nothing at all” is sometimes very appropriate in times of comfort.
Father, thank you for comfort. Thank you for your Word that gives us models and examples of how to live life together. Please help me know when to speak and when to just “be there” for a hurting soul in need of comfort. Help me best represent You in each situation.
You think these friends were married, or had famalies? How does this apply to us, are we really going to sit with someone for a month just because?
Of course not. The point is sometimes we don’t have to say anything. Sometimes just being with someone in a time of grief is enough. Sometimes we need to close our mouths and open our ears and our hearts to the hurting to really understand what they are going through. Sometimes we really need to pray through how we are to minister and what we are to say. That’s all I’m saying.
Oh to have a month to just sit with someone….
Ok