In the closing chapter of his story, Job shows great growth. Both before and during his troubled times, Job had known about God, but now he knows God. He has moved from an understanding of God as distant and disconnected from the world.
Now he sees that living a life of faith isn’t about putting on a good show for the people around him. It’s not about earning some sort of reward in this life or in the next. It’s about relationship. It’s about a relationship with the One who created him, who loves him unconditionally, and who expects him to respond to God’s care and intention accordingly in his own life. It’s about knowing that even when things happen that we don’t understand, still God is at work bringing about some sort of good. No longer is God a concept to Job, but a reality.
Can you think of a time that God became very real to you? Has there been a time when you had a strong sense of the presence of God?
Today, find a time to be quiet and to be present to God. Close your eyes, take a few deep cleansing breaths, and invite God to come alongside you. Practice this breath prayer for a few minutes: As you inhale, repeat (out loud or in your head), “Open my ears.” As you exhale, repeat, “Open my eyes.” If you find your mind wandering, that’s okay. Continue to bring your focus back to your breath as many times as is necessary.