ESOCS Devotional 26 October 2026 – Job’s Ordeal and Patience
MEMORY VERSE: “Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out the belly? Job 3:11 KJV
TEXT: JOB 3:1-17
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2 And Job spake, and said,
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?
13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;
15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.
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Job experienced extreme physical pain, as well as grief over the loss of his family and possessions. Should we blame him for wishing he were dead? Of course, no, we may not blame him! His grief placed him at the crossroads of faith, shattered many misconceptions about God, as if God makes you rich, always keeps you from troubles, or protects your loved ones, etc. However, in all these his ordeals, he was driven back to the basics of faith and he was patient, preferring to wait until his change comes (Job 14:14). Patience is a virtue.
Job had only two options: (a) He could curse God and give up or (b) He could trust God and draw strength from Him to continue. Despite that all the principles by which he had lived were crumbling and he lost his perspective, Job was patient; he said that God granted him life and favour, and that God’s visitation preserved his spirit (Job 10:12).
Our lesson is that trials and grief, whether temporary or enduring, do not destroy the real purpose of life. Life is not given merely for happiness and personal fulfilment, but for us to serve and honour God. The worth and meaning of life is not based on what we feel, but on the reality; no one can take away God’s love for us. We must not assume that because God truly loves us, He will always prevent suffering. Only what we need is patience and faith in any ordeal that may come our way like Job.
Reflections
- Hunger in the land, insecurity, etc. can challenge the patience and faith in us.
Prayer
- God, grant me the grace to endure afflictions through patience and faith in you.
Further Reading: Romans 8:31-39
ESOCS Devotional 26 October 2026
