Shut Up and Leave Me Alone!

[speerjp1]

JOB 2:9-10 says "Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not JOB sin with his lips."

Imagine what little encouragement we would have from this passage if that last sentence could not have been a part of this great story. What if JOB had told his wife to just shut her mouth and go away... or worse? He was so longsuffering in the face of his wife's "foolishness" that God(who knew his very heart) was able to let us know that he did not sin in his response to her. Let us (especially husbands) look at the implications of his example and how they effect us in a very practical way.

How often are we given the opportunity to kindly remind our spouse that God is in control but instead use it as an opportunity to belittle or vent or even completely close the lines of communication? On the other hand, how often would we have preferred to have been reminded of God's grace, mercy, and goodness instead of being pushed away for admittedly immature complaints or suggestions? We have all prOBably been on the giving and receiving end of a lack of Christian longsuffering and not one has ever been encouraged by it in any way.

When JOB reminded his wife of the Father's goodness, it was a foreshadow of the Son of God and his longsuffering with his bride. Have you ever heard someone lament over God's plan? Now, can you imagine if our Mediator were not longsuffering and told us to go away or not pray to him any more? That would demonstrate impatience, unkindness, and selfishness on our Lord's part, none of which are in his character. Our prayers or complaints made out of foolishness or our own impatience or selfishness are often gently rebuked by the Holy Spirit reminding us of a scripture passage or through a brother or sister in Christ giving us a word of encouragement. But our Savior is not short with us or in any way unkind.

Remember our example. Eph 5:25-33

PRACTICE: When your spouse comes to you and is OBviously already discouraged about something, do not add to it through "Spiritual condescension"; but, through longsuffering and Godliness, remind them that God is on the throne and that trusting him is the primary thing.

Experiment: Talk about this issue with your spouse and let them know that you are open to gentle rebuke if, like JOB's wife, your complaints or suggestions are ever out of line in any way.

[John81]

This is something I've put special effort into. I would that I would have come to this much earlier in our marriage.

Scripture says husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. This includes responding to our wives in a Christlike manner and taking the time to rebuke and correct (when needful) in a Christlike manner.

[HappyChristian]