Your friends think, "Believers have no problems!" - Job 11

For many years I have written about Job and his friends in a devotional type setting. I have often penned (typed) that Job's friends are "right in their doctrine but wrong in their application." I stand by that statement but in Zophar's case I am not so sure. Zophar does say some things in the excellent chapter about the character of God and reminds Job of some important truths (that are pure in doctrine but disfunctional in direction towards Job's problem). But, in the later part of this chapter Zophar makes the same mistake non-believers do about most believers in their lives. Zophar tries to tell Job that if he only were to act righteous He would find that life would be good and "bright as the noonday sun" (v. 17). He tells Job if it wasn't for his sin "darkness would be like morning." Here is the problem many non-believers have with Christians and our faith: Christians do suffer and are not called to a life with no pain. Too many people think that once you come to Christ your life will be on easy street and each day is a picnic. There is one thing for a non-believer to say that but quite another for believers to believe that: But they do. God did not promise us ease; He promised us forgiveness; freedom; and fellowship. Let's not fall into the trap that non-believers set for us. Christ did say we would suffer in this world, as He suffered. Abraham wandered "as in a alien world" (Hebrews 11). Noah was mocked (Genesis 6). Daniel was imprisoned (Daniel 6). Paul persecuted (Acts). So, the next time we are in suffering, like Job it may not be because of sin. But, the unbelieving world will think that. However, you and I must remember that God uses these circumstances to produce mature followers for Him (James 1).