What should you learn from job story in the bible?

One of the big lessons we can learn from the Book of Job is that God Wants Us to Feel Safe and Protected.

Essential to living as believers is a walk of love attained by following God's Word.

I John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments…"

Ephesians 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us…"

Living this way, we are sound-minded and feel protected and safe. In contrast, if we fail to walk in love, we evidence fear, the believer's greatest enemy.

II Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

I John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Fear is the basis of many human difficulties, such as anxiety, apprehension, regret, suspicion, envy, discouragement, doubt, worry, confusion, and more. Whenever we have a bad thought, it's always our choice to cast it out in favor of good thoughts or to harbor and incubate it until it becomes fear.

The book of Job is the account of a believer who held on to a bad thought: that he could not protect his loved ones because they had strayed from God in their hearts.

Job 1:5 "...Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

Job, a fallible human like we all are at times, fell short of overcoming his fearful mindset. No matter how daunting our situation seems, God's desire is that we put on His perfect love and thereby cast out all fear. In accomplishing this, we enter into the safety and protection God provides for His people.

Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."

Psalms 34:4 "I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

Before having this fear, Job had God's protection and felt safe.

Job 1:10 "Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land."

By succumbing to fear, Job allowed a break in God's hedge, through which Satan was able to bring evil upon him. The extra burnt offerings Job made did not stop the devastation, and in hindsight, Job realized that his fear had caused him to not be the kind of person he should have been for his children. After overcoming his fear, Job courageously answered his friends, who were convinced by outward appearances that he had a secret sin. With God's help, Job inspired his friends to recognize the truth and not sever their friendship.

Job 3:25 "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me."

Job 16:4,5 "I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up Words against you, and shake mine head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief."

Job 42:10 "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends…"

To be the kind of person we should be for our friends and loved ones, we faithfully put our trust in God and continue walking in His love. We do this by cultivating a courageous mindset and becoming adept at casting out negative thoughts before they incubate and grow. Suspicion, guesswork, and thinking evil are challenging obstacles that God's servant Job and his friends overcame. Learning from Job's example, we can live as God wants us to, in His safety and protection.