Wait Upon God For Your Reward

My friends, there is one temptation in suffering that I want to warn you of. It is a warning straight from the pages of the holy Scriptures—straight from the breath of God:

Do not think that when you are suffering, your righteousness now means nothing.

Job’s Righteous Life

Job knew he was a righteous and blameless man before God—not that he was without any sin, but that he always looked to God for restoration and always sought to do what was right before the Lord. His wisdom was sought after at the city meetings. He treated the poor and oppressed with generosity and kindness. He made offerings for his family—for purification. He was an upright man diligent in righteousness with whom God was very pleased.

Therefore, he became a target of Satan. Satan came after Job and deprived him of his family members and his wealth. Then, in a second round, Satan came after Job’s very health; a skin disease covered Job—boils on his body. And, Job was very righteous, even in suffering. He declared the Lord’s wisdom and trusted His Redeemer who would walk upon on the earth. God was so pleased with so many of his words and thoughts.

Job Confronted

However, Job was confronted about an area of his theology in grief—Elihu confronted him: “Do you think it is just when you say, ‘I am righteous before God’? For you ask, ‘What does it profit you, and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?’” (Job 35:1-3). And, the Lord says to him: “Would you really challenge my justice?” (Job 40:8).

Listen, God does not deal with us according to our own categories of thinking. Job was set on vindicating his own righteousness as an upstanding man before three men who gave false counsel to him in his suffering. But, Elihu was interested is speaking the truth not about man, but primarily about God.

Elihu drew Job’s thinking to eternity (Job 36:7) and reminded Job of the wonders of the Lord beyond our understanding (Job 37:14). Job was thinking that God did not regard Job’s righteousness—but God did. He highly regarded it. Job was looking to life on this earth. God was thinking about all of His eternal purposes.

Your Righteousness Still Matters

Do not think that the righteousness that you have pursued with God matters little. It can be easy to think when suffering—To what avail? God has led me through a suffering path. What does my pursuit of righteousness before God even mean now?

God wants us to remember that His counsels are eternal—from before all time, from all eternity. He wants us to remember that He is wise beyond our wisdom. Surely, Job would be blessed by God again—He was restored on this earth and certainly He would be restored in eternity.

I know that it can be tempting to think that God has withdrawn when loss has occurred. When heartbreak happens, it can be tempting to assume that God has removed His favor from you. But, He wants His faithful servants to remember that He does not work like man works. His earthly purposes may remain a mystery to us, but He is wise, trustworthy, and holy. And, our earthly righteousness matters to God greatly. He prizes it and intends to reward it. It may not feel so right now. But, He is calling you to a righteous life because He is so great.

God’s Worthy Justice and Grace

This—the worthiness of God—is Job’s answer to his suffering. He utters some beautiful words of Scripture. After being confronted, Job says to God: “I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). It is part of God’s just nature that He will reward the good deeds of His servants. But, He does so in His own perfect time and way. His reward is also a part of His gracious nature because He enables the good deeds that He rewards (Philippians 2:13)!

Job knew God, but then, God speaks to him—and Job really knows the Lord. He knows that no one can doubt the Lord in any way. Job had not thought it wrong to doubt the reward of God for the righteous. He had not thought it wrong, for He knew that He was a sinner like all of mankind (Job 9:15) whose hope was in His Redeemer, Jesus (Job 19:25). But, God wants us to know that He will not be sparing toward the righteous in reward. And, this is because God is very great.

From the one who seeks God with His whole heart and sets His heart upon the Redeemer for living righteously, God will not turn away. God will be His hope of redemption and salvation. God will be His kind rewarder. Friends, do not think that the goodness you have done, the righteousness you have sought, and the blessing you have been to others matters little—due to the suffering that has come into your life. Know that God sees all of your good deeds and will reward you for them in His own time and way. Only trust Him that He will do this.

God gives us a picture of His intentions through what He does in Job’s life: “the Lord restored his fortunes and doubled his previous possessions . . . So the Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life more than the first. He owned fourteen thousand sheep and goats, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters” (Job 42:10, 12-13). With your faith in your Redeemer Jesus, seek what is righteous and good. Do not give up on your devotion to God. Renew it. He sees you. Wait upon God for your restorative reward, now or in eternity.

Lianna is author of Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss (Hope Mommies, 2019). More of her writing can be found at her website.

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