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After almost eight years of marriage I am confident that I have learned one thing about my wife. I am certain that at least 70% of the time she does not want me to solve her problems, she wants me to listen and sympathize with her. She even goes so far as to ask me “what do you think?” on the few occasions when she wants me to help solve a problem. Even though I cognitively understand this, in the heat of the moment I often try to solve her problems when she does not want me to.

In this passage Job does not need Eliphaz to solve his problem, rather, Job needs Eliphaz to sympathize with him. But for some reason Eliphaz decides that he needs to deduce exactly what it is that Job has done to deserve this punishment from God. Eliphaz is trying to take Job in completely the wrong direction. Eliphaz is trying to lead Job away from God and toward Job’s own actions.

In life there will be many times when a friend or loved one will come to you and say I feel separated from God, I feel surrounded by darkness, why is there this division? In those times it is our responsibility to lead that person closer to God. In those time we do not need to help them analyze their lives and focus on themselves; rather we need help that person get past themselves and lay their lives at the feet of Jesus Christ. There may be a time later on when we ask the question “did you make any stupid decisions that put you in this position?” but first we must turn our eyes to Christ and with his grace and comfort together struggle through the darkness.

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