Is This What Happened to Job ??

Sometimes it is fun to take a look at well documented events from the past in the light that comes from learning about The Secret.

Take the story of Job as told in the Old Testament. According to what we read in Chapter 1 Job was "perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil". (KJV).

But we learn something else that was not obvious perhaps at the beginning of the story at the end of chapter 4 where we read: "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me". For those who do not know the story, Job was smitten with all manner of affliction, he essentially lost everything that could be lost, including his health and his whole family, everything except his very life.

So, let's consider a couple of things. The tragedy of the book of Job has long been discussed in philosophical and religious circles. How could such harsh affliction come to a man who had been "perfect and upright"? Those who think and say that no good deed goes unpunished (the absolute worst kind of lack thinking) could have been thinking of this story.

Well consider this possibility . . .

The Lord was trying to bless Job.

What was that?

The Lord was trying to bless Job.

Really?

He seems to have a funny way of showing it then, doesn't He?

Consider the following scripture: There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated --- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it was predicated.

Consider this scripture also: I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.

Put these two together with a "perfect and upright man" and you may find a situation where increasing numbers of blessings were slated to come to Job.

Now this next statement is a guess, but it is supported by some evidence . . .

Perhaps Job was not in a position to accept the new blessings.

How could that be possible?

Well . . . . . . .

Because sometimes it is necessary to let go of the old for the new to come in. Based on the fear that Job had as described in chapter four, he feared losing what he had already been blessed with. He appeared to be holding onto it very tightly.

So it appears that he was not letting go.

And that was preventing new blessings from coming.

And the Lord was bound to send new blessings his way.

Yes, a disconnect.

Caused by FEAR.

Interesting that "Thou Shalt Not Fear" is NOT given anywhere as a commandment, and yet fear causes more pain and suffering to be attracted than almost anything else.

In As A Man Thinketh, James Allen says that men attract that which they love, and also that which they fear.

So it could be argued that Job attracted exactly what he feared; or it could also be argued that all of this had to happen to him, in order to help him "let go" of what he was so afraid of losing.

So that there could be room for more to come into his life.

What is the end of the story?

Well after a period of time where Job figured out a few things courtesy of his new found afflictions, he was blessed with abundance to exceed what he had previously been blessed with.

The scripture says that "the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends (the ones who were not exactly supportive), and also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job went on to have a new family that was better then the old one that he lost, and he lived for another 140 years in the pleasure of their company, down four generations from himself.

And after facing and surviving his greatest fear, I would say that it could never take hold of him again.

But could the entire situation have been avoided if he had been more willing to "let go" prior to everything happening? If he had looked that fear squarely in the eye, and been OK with any of that happening? I believe that if he could have done that, then there would be no purpose in his affliction, and therefore it would have never come.

Because I believe strongly that God does not send or allow affliction to come that is not a transport mechanism for a blessing.

What do we learn from this? A few things.
1. The Lord wants to bless us, and can be bound to bless us as we are obedient.
2. It is often the case that we must let go of something that we perceive to be good in order to receive something that is definately better.
3. If we will not let go, meaning we are too attached to things, then affliction comes as a way to transport in our new blessings.
4. We must not let the "good" of life keep us from the "magic" of life.

So here is the real question . . . .

Are we bringing affliction upon ourselves ?? We must Let Go, and Let God.

Face your greatest fear, and be OK with it if that happens!

If we can do that, then the fear is conquered, we have let go, we are receiving for more, and no affliction as a transport mechanism will be required.

Learn.

Joseph