Reflections

¹¹Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.

 12When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

 13Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.  Job 2: 11-13

Job’s friends set out to comfort Job in his time of need.  They knew that Job was a successful and wealthy man and were surprised by the tragedy that had befallen Job.  They mourned with Job and sat in silence with him for seven days. 

Many times those that are in mourning just need to be comforted.  They do not need to hear why tragedy has struck their life.   Too often as Christians we are quick to give an explanation of why bad things happen, or find the need to defend God.  Many times we make wrong assumptions about someone’s situation or why God allowed for a situation to take place.

The book of Job does not give a reason why Job endured all that he lost.  We know that it was Satan who caused all of this, but we really do not know why God allowed Job to be tested.  We should never assume we know why things happen to people or try to always answer the question why.  Often times all a person in suffering needs are friends that will sit in silence with them and simply be there for them.  This was the most loving act that Job’s friends did.  They said nothing but mourned along with Job.