Godliness in Pain

20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21 saying:Naked I came from my mother’s womb,and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.Praise the name of the Lord. 22 Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.

Job 1:20-22 (HCSB)

If you havn't yet realized it, being a Christ follower does not illiminate painful situations from our lives.  But as Christ followers we should respond differently than others to our painful situations.  Job demonstrates how we should respond.

In a painful situation Job responded in grief and humility.  He tore his robe and shaved his head.  These our symbolic expressions of inner grief and humility.  It is not sinful for a Christ follower to grieve.  But we should grieve differently than those who do not know Christ personally.  There is no sin in grief but there is in blaming God for our pain.

Second, Job responded with worship and reverence.  When we experience painful situations our worship may not be joyful, or exuberant but we should respond with humble, reverent worship.  Job recognized who he was and who God was and gave God the glory and honor due His name.

The challenge for the Christ follower is to respond to our painful situations in a way that demonstrate that we belong to Christ and our relationship with Him has changed us.