“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.” Job 40:4
September 20, 2022
Our mouths can get us in trouble, especially when trials are raining down on us. We are told early on in Job’s suffering experience that he did not sin with his lips. However, as his misery progressed and his friends piled on with not-so-helpful advice, Job started boxing with God and his three friends. His self-appointed counselors told him he just needed to repent of his sin and things would get better. Job ran off into the ditch of impetuosity rushing to speak without enough facts. He thought he had suffered undeservedly and comes within a hair’s breadth of accusing God of injustice. Against his friends he tried to defend himself in the wrong way. Pride, unbelief, and self-righteousness surfaced. Job had no idea of the big story that was transpiring in his pain and suffering. So finally after Job’s push-back against God’s perceived unfairness, he is told by God to “sit down and shut up.” Who was Job to tell God how to run the world. Job wisely agrees to shut his big mouth. When our losses accumulate and we think God has not treated us fairly, we need to humble ourselves and put biblical thoughts in our mouths, or just stay quiet. Thankfully, God gives us room to think and talk about Him and to Him. He is patient, but watch that tongue. H
A time to pray: “Lord, set a guard over my mouth and help me to put my complaints about you in the trash can. Enable me to trust you with my life and my unanswered questions.”