Cycle # 4 : Days 5 - 8

“When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zohar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.” Job 2:11

The days that I am not physically well are tough days and they require much prayer, meditation and rest. It is difficult during those times to allow God to have all my fears of cancer, chemo, and radiation and so your prayers, sharing of scriptures, and encouragement are also needed (Job 6:14).

Thank you for spending your precious time to pray, sympathize, comfort, and encourage me - you have been a great source of strength.

I am grateful that you have proven to be friends of greater wisdom and understanding than Job's friends. After starting out so supportive by spending seven days and nights with Job in silent mourning and grieving they began to speak. Eliphaz was the first to speak many words, "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?". When Bildad spoke he among other things said, "If you are pure and upright, surely now He would rouse Himself for you and restore your righteous place". Then Zophar chimed in with his two cents, "But would that God might speak, and open His lips against you..".

Job needed their prayers and gentle constant encouragement to continue to rely on and trust in God. One of the lessons for each of us from the book of Job is the lesson of how to comfort and encourage a friend.

Before I end this I want you to know that I began feeling better and thinking more clearly Monday afternoon; each day I have felt more of my energy return and a subsiding of the side effects.