“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)
Start out by reading Job 42:10-17.
Ours is a God of restoration. Do not confuse restoration with replacement. God’s way is not just to replace what we’ve lost but to restore us.
When we have experienced a devastating loss, His aim is not simply to put something in its place. His aim is to minister to the hurting soul. If I lose a child, I might be helped by receiving another child—but I am not healed. Our infinitely wise God does far more than replace. He goes straight to the heart to heal.
The Scripture passage demonstrates that God was after Job’s innermost healing and restoration because He involved Job in the process of forgiving the errant counselors. Job had been badly injured by several of his best friends. Without God’s intervention Job would long remember their hurtful words and misplaced blame. He might have had the dignity to continue the external expressions of friendship, but he would have battled resentment for the rest of his life.
Yes, God could have replaced Job’s friends with others, but a simple replacement would never have accomplished restoration. Job’s bitterness would have remained. Instead, God began mending Job’s heart through prayer.
The Scripture does not record the exact dialogue between God and His servant Job, but at some point the Lord instructed him to pray for the friends who had so badly wounded him.
Remembering Job’s ability to be honest, can you imagine what his first response might have been? If Job were like us, his first requests were probably things he prayed for God to do to his friends rather than for them! But prayer is so healing. I’ve often said that God has to be God because only He could totally change a stubborn human heart like mine in a few minutes of honest prayer.
In Matthew 5:44 Christ said, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Do you see it? Prayer for those who have hurt us is not just for their sakes, it’s for OURS! Perhaps a far greater work is accomplished in us.
Remember, beloved one, God is not just trying to replace something you’ve lost. He’s trying to reach your heart and heal you, but He requires your cooperation. If you are willing to get down on your knees and let God begin his glorious work of restoration through prayer, He will faithfully bless “the latter part” of your life “more than the first.” Can you imagine that?
Thank goodness God is not limited by our imaginations!
Excerpt from Beth Moore’s Whispers of Hope devotional.