I sat with God’s Word and my prayer journal, exhausted, in pain, not sure what I should even attempt to do after an unexpectedly short and challenging night of “sleep.” Like Job, my prayers floated between “help” and “how?” I had a list of things I’d planned to do, but were they His plans for me that day?
I needed His teaching, guiding, and leading.
God took me to a familiar place in His Word, but it became newly special for my hurting and weak body, softening my resistance to letting go of the day’s plans. I needed to humbly release my original desires to align with His, even though I had no understanding of how I could face the day.
Wow! Our precious Lord is such a perfect Teacher!
First, His encouragement. Perhaps to both of us today?
Trusting my Teacher who fully understands everything
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding (Prov. 3:3 CSB).
Then, reading Elihu’s words in Job once again reminded me about Whom I am trusting, utterly reliable. Before God Himself answered Job’s cries, with majestic descriptions of His indescribable and grand character, Elihu served as a warmup act. He reminds us that we naturally cry out for help from God (Job 35:9). Suffering takes care of that. And we must.
But Elihu also reproves Job (and all of us) for the pride that so quickly bubbles to the surface as we suffer (Job 35:12; 36:9). Just as with Job, the enemy tries to make us pridefully forget who God is, so that our faith might waver when suffering lingers. We can think we know better than God, and we easily doubt.
Elihu helped me once again…I thought I had things figured out, but…
O where shall I find a guide to direct,
Right, skillful, kind, and brave to protect?
To lovely Mount Zion my heart is now bound,
But many a lion is in the way found.
(Hymn by J. Berridge – sing it to the tune of “O Worship the King”)
Lord, teach me more of who You are as I suffer
Lord, You would never do anything wicked, evil, or wrong (Job 34:10-12).
You are in charge of the entire universe and our very breath (Job 34:13-15).
You see and know everything (Job 34:21)!
You are “mighty in strength of understanding” (Job 36:5)!
’Tis Jesus can teach the way ye should go,
And out his arm reach to help you on too;
The doubts that perplex you, the fears that distress,
The tempers that vex you, his grace can redress.
You are “great in power; justice and abundant righteousness [You] will not violate” (Job 37:23).
You do “great things that we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:5, emphasis added).
Lord, deliver me as You teach me in this suffering’s learning
In this ongoing suffering, I know You’re teaching me something new (Job 35:11).
As a forever music teacher, I know review of past learning is always good. I know the goodness of basic warmups, scales, arpeggios, and theory learning. They’re all foundational building blocks for every practice session. I know the value of scaffolding, an excellent educator’s way of facilitating and strengthening understanding to prepare a learner to succeed in learning a brand-new and “leveled-up” piece of music.
“Open my ears to instruction…by adversity” (Job 36:10, 15).
You remind me of Your encouraging teaching:
Then may the Lord give me faith in his name,
A faith that will live in water and flame,
A faith that endureth, and feasts on his blood;
A faith that assureth my sonship with God.
Lord Jesus, my patient and tender teacher, lead me in Your way, as I suffer today
My strong Deliverer,
beloved Savior, I remember how You humbly washed the feet of Your students before You suffered all the punishment they deserved.
O teach me to love thy Person most sweet,
Nor let my heart rove, but keep at thy feet;
Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil (Prov. 3:7 CSB).
Be with Thee delighted, and clasp Thee and twine,
Most firmly united to thy living Vine.
Teach me more about my “in Jesus” reality, as I suffer today
Elihu points me forward to Jesus as he reminds me of the hope of all believers:
He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light (Job 33:28)!
“In Jesus,” I will know Your gracious and loving gift of salvation and enduring faith, all the way to the end.
“In Jesus,” I know You’re coming alongside me to teach me something for Your “best-good-for-me” as I suffer. I’m not doing it alone, though. A master Teacher takes an apprentice and works and guides alongside. This is discipleship.
But it’s always with You jumping in as You know I need, holding back and encouraging me to try new ways of walking, when You know I need to take baby steps. A scaffolding-rich Teacher.
Glorify Yourself as my perfect Teacher
And further, I seek the charms of Thy mind,
The grace to be meek, and lowly, and kind;
Forbearing, forgiving, and loving always,
And only be living to publish Thy praise.
Lord, I know that our earthly lives are meant to bring You glory. My teacher-guide, You understand precisely what I need for all of it, knowing what’s helpful before I’ll need it, and will give me Your grace, for my good, and Your glory. Thank You for teaching me to rest in Your grace today, reverencing You in that rest. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Material adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2022
A playlist to “trust in the LORD,” healing and strengthening us as we suffer
Praise to our glorious Lord, He flooded me with songs for a playlist He knew I would need, that very day! The perfect Teacher! The weekly playlist gifts from Him usually come on my severe pain days when I must lie flat and give my neck and brain a rest. It’s a joy to share this one with you, sister in Christ, as we both suffer. If this would bless you, sign up here, and it will come to your email with my prayers for you.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, or Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube podcast
If you also suffer with chronic illness and pain, this music therapy-inspired podcast of Scripture and hymns is crafted to ease symptoms
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