Job’s 4 spiritual flaws picturing God

A father saw his small son draw a picture. Very focused, the young boy was totally engrossed in his work of art. Crayons were scattered everywhere. Unfinished sketches were wadded and cast aside. Without wanting to break the boy’s concentration the father gently asked, “Son, what are you drawing?” Never looking up the boy replied, “God.” Taken aback the father said, “No one knows what God looks like.” Confidently gazing at his masterpiece the boy responded, “They will when I get through!”

We all have a picture of God in our minds. Our picture of God is critically important to who we are. In fact, our understanding of God is the most important thing about us. A.W. Tozer said, “The most important thing about you is what comes into your mind when you think about God.” A spiritual flaw regarding our mental picture of God can have a devastating effect on our faith. We must have a right view or else our faith will be distorted and out of focus.

Too often our circumstances shape our picture of God. If our circumstances are good it’s easy to believe that God must be good. If our circumstances are difficult it’s easy to draw false conclusions about God. In times of adversity and struggle our picture of the Lord Jesus Christ can become flawed.

The Old Testament patriarch Job lost everything. The devil attacked his family, fortune and health. Satan vandalized Job’s picture of God. The devil drew a mustache on the Mona Lisa. He spray painted graffiti on Job’s image of God. In Job 9-10 the Old Testament saint had four flaws in his understanding of God.

The first spiritual flaw is that Job said, “God won’t listen to me!” Job said, “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God? If one wished to contend with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand” (verses 1-3). Job’s flaw in his thinking is that God was too big, too powerful, too sovereign to listen to him. Job asked, “Why would God listen to me?” Job pictured God as a severe judge — unapproachable and unmerciful.

The truth is that God did hear. He simply chose to wait before he answered. Every time we call out to him, he hears us. He listens. He isn’t always going to give you a quick answer. Sometimes his answer may be very different from the one we wanted. He created you and will do the very best for you even though you may not be able to see that right away.

The second spiritual flaw is that Job said, “God isn’t fair!” Sometimes in difficult circumstances we question God’s justice. We say, “God, this isn’t fair.” Or, “God, I don’t deserve this.” Job complained, “For he bruises me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause. He will not allow me to get my breath, but saturates me with bitterness. If it is a matter of power, behold, he is the strong one! And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon him? Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; though I am guiltless, he will declare me guilty” (verses 17-20).

When Satan attacked Job, he lost his 10 children. His vast and great fortune evaporated. His fame was stripped away. He even lost his health. Satan covered Job’s entire body with gruesome sores. From the crown of his head to the tip of his toes were nothing but gruesome boils. He was so disfigured from the disease his friends did not recognize him when they came.

Job’s response was to blame God. But that’s flawed thinking. God is just and fair. We must remember that God doesn’t settle His accounts until the end of time. One day God is going to make everything right. Presently this world is upside down. Life isn’t fair today but God is fair. Picture it this way — God deals with the righteous on a cash basis and the unrighteous on a credit basis. When the righteous sins, he pays for it as he goes. God disciplines us now when we sin. But for the unrighteous, it’s all on credit. The unsaved do not necessarily pay for their sin right now. At the end of time, God will settle his accounts with the unrighteous.

The third spiritual flaw is, “God won’t forgive me!” Listen to the words of Job, “Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good. They slip by like reed boats. Like an eagle that swoops on its prey” (verses 25-26). Job felt that his days were passing quickly without any relief from God. The image of reed boats passing by reinforced Job’s perception of a life quickly fading into insignificance. In verses 32-33 Job pleaded for a mediator between God and man. Who is that mediator? His name is Jesus. You or I will never commit a sin that the blood of Jesus Christ is not powerful enough to wash away. As far as the east is from the west, so far will he remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12).

The fourth spiritual flaw is, “God doesn’t love me!” Job saw only bad circumstances and concluded that God didn’t love him. We must be careful not to see God through our circumstances but through his son Jesus. The ultimate example of God’s love for you is not your present circumstances but Jesus upon the cross. God is a good God who has provided so very much for us — forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Almighty God does listen. He is always just and righteous. He will forgive through the atonement of Jesus. He loves you immensely. He loves you enough to send His Son to die on a cross for your sins. Don’t we serve a great God?

Ethan Hansen (ethanchansen@gci.net) is pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship of Big Lake.