When Mary - the mother of our Lord Jesus - entered the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth, she spoke words of praise after greeting Elizabeth, ‘My soul glorifies the Lord.’
Mary knew that she was blessed among women. How everything would come true she did not know, but she believed the angel Gabriel who had told her, ‘For no word from God will ever fail’ (:37). Because Mary believed these words, she could sing a song of praise. And she was looking forward to the fulfillment of the words of the angel.
Job could not sing such a joyous hymn; Job even cursed the day of his birth (Job 3:1). Let us not despise him for it. God Himself had told Satan, ‘Very well, then, Job is in your hands; but you must spare his life’ (Job 2:6). Thereafter Satan afflicted Job with painful sores, after he had first taken his seven sons, his three daughters, and his cattle. Everything had fallen apart and Job had nothing left to do other than sitting among the ashes as a sign of repentance and mourning. His wife did not understand him any more. ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’ (Job 2:9).
After endless conversations with his friends, Job received an answer from God Himself. These answers are so impressive. Just read them for yourself in the book of Job. God speaks so different from the way Job’s friends spoke about God. When God spoke, Job realized that also his speaking about Him had only been meaningless talk, without real understanding.
God had not abandoned Job in his severe trials, even though everyone thought so.
No, in trials only two outcomes are possible: either we curse God, or we get to know Him for real. ‘But now my eyes have seen You’ (Job 42:5).