And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.     Job 42:1 HCSB

The story of Job is particularly fascinating because all this calamity came upon Job as a result of a deal struck between God and Satan. God bragged on how righteous Job was and Satan told God that if He would pull his protection from Job and let Satan have his way with him, Job would curse God. Satan took everything Job had, still Job did not curse God. Satan returned to God asking to hurt him physically. God allowed this but told Satan he could not take Job’s life.

Job went from being a wealthy respected man to losing his wealth, his possessions and social standing to being banished due to his painful condition. To make matters worse, his friends came to console him. They told him over and over again to repent because it was his sin causing him to suffer. But Job knew he had not sinned. He knew it was nothing he had done to bring on this tragedy in his life. He tried to tell his friends this, but they would not listen.

During all his suffering, Job never cursed God. But near the end as he grew frustrated, he grew prideful. He demanded to see God and speak to Him. God did speak to Job and Job repented for his pride. I’ve read this book several times, but today our Scripture passage jumped out at me. It tells us the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.

Now if you read the book of Job, you may think with friends like that who needs enemies. His so-called friends were pretty hard on him in his time of anguish and suffering. Job became very upset with them during this time. But what is important is that he forgave them.

There are many lessons to be learned from Job, but I think one important lesson jumps out at us through this verse. Job could not walk in a right relationship with the Lord until he forgave his friends. Job needed forgiveness from the LORD for his pride and arrogance. Just as he needed forgiveness, he needed to forgive those who had spoken untruthfully to him and about him. After all his suffering what a waste it would have been for Job to ask God’s forgiveness if he himself was unwilling to forgive. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 6:15 if we do not forgive people, God will not forgive us of our wrongdoing. In Mark 11:25 Jesus tells us when we pray, if we have anything against another to forgive them so our Father in heaven will forgive us but that if we don’t forgive others our Father in heaven will not forgive us.

Have you been praying for redemption or restoration? Check your heart. Are you holding a grudge against someone? Are you harboring bitterness and anger in your heart? If so, you may be waiting a long time. Job’s good friends turned on him in his time of need. Yet he knew he had to forgive them. If you are going through hard times and wondering why God is not restoring you or redeeming you, maybe He’s waiting for you to do your part by forgiving those who have come against you. You must ask yourself is anyone who has come against you worth you missing out on God’s blessings? I think not.

Have a great day!