"If you will listen, I will show you.
I will answer you from my own experience. (Job 15:17 NLT)
Our experiences are a good thing. We are shaped by our experiences. They make us into who we are. What we have experienced in our lives drives what we pursue & what we avoid. Often times our deepest dreams come from what we have experienced.
But, experiences are not everything. Here we find Job & his friends entrenched in days worth of dialog (don't any of these people work for a living?!). A lot of what they are taking about is good stuff. Their perspective on life, God, & suffering is good insight. Most of it however, does not apply to Job.
When it comes to Job & his particular experience, he breaks the mold. There has never been anyone like Job & I don't think there will ever be anyone like him in the future. Any comparisons to Job & the enormity of his suffering just fall short. He lost his whole family, all of his possessions, the support of his spouse, & his health. All allowed by the God he faithfully & blamelessly served.
Experience just falls short of what Job needs.
His friends' advice from their own experience is not what Job requires. He benefitted more (I'm guessing) from the seven days when no one said a word!
Experience is important when trying to make sense of life but it's not the pinnacle of truth. Many times people default to their experience when searching for truth & it is often misleading. When it comes to making sense of life & all its mysteries, the only reliable source is God & his Word.
Experience is unique to the individual, God's Word applies to us all.
Experience is based on our perspective, God's Word is based on God's perspective.
The origin of experience is found in us, God's Word finds its origin in God.
Who are we gong to trust? Us or God?
God's Word trumps our experiences.
God > experience.
How can we better trust God & his word over our individual experiences?
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