Today’s Encouragement is Job 42:16 Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren.
After That –
Job was happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise for many years… Until one day everything crashed down! And he was no longer any of those things!
For a terrible season of suffering, we aren’t told how long, Job was devastated, overwhelmed, and defeated. Yet the lengthy discourse of the book concludes with this verse as its closure.
“After that” … after this tremendous loss of all his wealth, health, and even his children… Such unimaginable loss!… “After that” … Job lived another full lifetime, and was blessed with children, health, and wealth even greater than before (42:12)!
Imagine Job, say, 50 years after this catastrophic time, gathering his grandkids around him and saying, “Did I ever tell you about the time when I lost everything?”
My friend, the suffering or pain which is so prevalent today, seems so oppressive and even eternal… Is but a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1)!
Father, please grant us the gift of perspective. Help us see that today’s problems are not forever, that a time ‘after that’ will come, and after this time of pain, difficulty, and sorrow… You will restore us.
Not For a Moment
Meredith Andrews
Today’s Encouragement 