When They Turn On You
What to do when your friends start trashing you with their tongues, like Job’s friends did to him, or try to destroy you like Joseph’s brothers did to him. What to do when they turn on you.
Don’t listen to or answer their words. Prov 26:4. Job did and only dug the pit deeper. It becomes a war of words. You might eventually get them to shut up like Job did. But they aren’t going to change their opinions of you. They will only be more convinced that they are right and you are wrong.
Instead, only listen to someone like Elihu who speaks truth on God’s behalf without flattery, Job 32:21-22. See Job 33:6, 36:1-4, for examples. Listen to him. He’s trying to help you. And 1 Pet 2:21-23 shows you not to revile them, but to follow Christ’s steps.
Seek God and wait on him to answer. Job 38:1. In times of severe trouble, it is nearly impossible to sort yourself out with God, because of the distress and powerful emotions you feel. When God shows up, he will proclaim his righteousness and he will correct your spirit. We aren’t perfect; he is. He’ll lead you, if you’re of a mind to be right with him and led by him. God waited a long while before he showed up to talk with Job. And Joseph suffered a long time before God made his purpose clear.
Humble yourself before the Lord. Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6. When you’re being attacked by words, it’s tempting to defend yourself publicly. You lift yourself up in pride and run the offenders down. You’re right; they’re wrong, Job 32:1. In truth, God is the only one who is right in these matters. Profess his righteousness and humble yourself. Speak the thing that is right about God.
Don’t look for God to avenge you. Job 42:7-8. God’s wrath wasn’t kindled against Job’s friends because they spoke wrong about Job (Elihu’s was, Job 32:3, 12). His wrath was kindled against them because they had not spoken the thing about God that is right. Job did; but they didn’t. God avenged himself, not Job. He didn’t take up for Job against them. And he won’t for you, either.
Pray for your friends, instead. When you come through an ordeal like this the right way, God will accept you like he accepted Job, Job 42:9. And when you pray for the ones who hurt you with words, God turns your “captivity” like he turned Job’s, Job 42:10. Joseph took care of his brothers.
In the end, you may discover that God let it all happen. Job 42:11. Job’s family and acquaintances “comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him”. Joseph said to his brothers that “God did send me before you to preserve life”, Gen 45:5. And he said, “ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive”, Gen 50:20. You think it’s THEM. In fact, it is often GOD.
Conclusion: you see, Job will be a comfort to Israel and those going through the Tribulation who suffer, though right, until the Lord returns and blesses them double, Is 40:2, 61:7. You need to find out what God is doing when they turn on you, and let him bless you. Most people get hung up waiting for God to avenge them and they never see God’s blessing in the ordeal. Don’t be like them. Be like Job and Joseph.