Experience is the best teacher
Scripture Reading: Job 36:22 “Behold, God exalteth by His Power; who teacheth like him?”
Have you ever heard people use the term, “experience is the best teacher”..? Well, I have, and I believe that I’ve used it myself on more than one occasion.
There’s an element of truth to that statement; experience can teach us.
But when you consider the question that Elihu presented in his long discourse, “who Teacheth like him?”, I think It becomes obvious, to those of us who believe, who the best teacher really is.
God is…. And there is absolutely none that can teach like him.
Job was in the midst of one of the most horrendous storms anyone could ever endure in this life. His experience and pain was unimaginable, and there are very few of us that can even come close to relating to what his trial must’ve felt like to him.
But, he was a man that loved and trusted God, which can be witnessed by what he declared at the beginning of his trial (see Job 1:21-22); yet his devotion to God didn’t necessarily give him an exemption from human suffering.
So, the question that most would ask of such a situation is, “Why would God allow him to go through such suffering?”.. ( I’m glad you asked).
In short, I believe that God allowed him to go through what he went through so that he could teach him something greater about himself (God); and that’s something that only God can do.
His primary means of teaching us today is by His word, thru the Holy Spirit. But there’s also a myriad of other ways that God teaches us to help us grow in our faith.
According to Job 38, God was right there in the middle of the experience of Job’s storm, teaching him; and today, many of us are in the midst of our own personal storms, whatever they may be. And I personally believe that God is right there, wanting to not only strengthen us, but to also teach us of His ways.
I encourage you to take some time apart today and ask Him for yourself, “Lord, what are you wanting to teach me through this?”
Trust that He will show you what no-one else can.
Grace and Peace from Our Lord,
Pastor Lowe