Words from Friends 朋友的话语

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Dexu Xia

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Sep 26, 2026, 12:29:29 AMSep 26

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[None of Job’s friends] said a word to him,  because they saw how great his suffering was. Job 2:13

Today's Scripture Job 2:7-13

Today's Insights

For seven days, Job’s friends were a silent presence with their suffering friend (Job 2:13). Silence tends to make us uncomfortable, so we may try to fill that void with words. But in times of great suffering (like Job’s), words alone are often inadequate to express the comfort or help that the hurting person truly needs. Job’s friends caused more hurt when they began to offer answers that didn’t ease his hurt, pain, or loss. We can ask God to give us wisdom to know when to speak and when to offer the comfort of a silent presence with those who are hurting.

Today's Devotion

As I sat in a Bible class at the age of twenty-six, I was baffled.   Some of my classmates’ comments were discouraging. They   seemed to have so many problems. I responded by asking, “If we’re Christians, why are we so down? Don’t we know how this thing really ends?” I was referring to the promise of eternal life in Christ but also to the many promises in the Bible of God’s care for His people. The instructor simply smiled and moved on. But my comment has stuck with me for years.

Eventually life hit me. Job loss, bereavement, illness, and more led me to feel discouraged. Yes, God’s promises are comforting and true, but they don’t promise an easy life. Jesus said we “will have trouble” (John 16:33).

Quite naturally, we feel the impact of such troubles, just as a man named Job did. He was tested, and it hit him hard: He lost his children, his property, and his health (Job 1:13-20; 2:7). His friends came to visit him to console him (2:11-13). In the beginning they simply supported their friend quietly, noting “how great his suffering was” (v. 13). But then they began asking unhelpful questions, not too dissimilar to the one I posed in Bible class.

As we encounter others going through trouble, the Holy Spirit can help us respond with love and compassion. And as we experience sorrow, we can remember the comfort of God’s promises.

Reflect & Pray

How has a friend helped you during a rough time?  How can you help others by using sensitivity and discernment?

Loving God, please teach me to use wisdom when sympathizing with others. By Katara Patten

[约伯的朋友们] 没有对他说一句话，因为他们看见他受的苦甚大。（约伯记 2:13）

今日经文：约伯记 2章7-13 节

今日洞见：约伯的朋友陪伴那位受苦的朋友静默了七天（约伯记 2:13）。沉默往往让人感到不自在，因此我们常试图用言语来填补这份空白。然而，在经历巨大苦难（如约伯那样）时，单靠言语往往无法给予受苦者真正需要的安慰或帮助。当约伯的朋友开始提出那些无法缓解他伤痛、苦楚或丧失之痛的“答案”时，反而加深了他的痛苦。我们可以求神赐予智慧，让我们知道何时该开口说话，何时该以静默陪伴的方式给予受苦者安慰。

今日灵修二十六岁那年，我在参加一个圣经课程时感到很困惑，因为有些同学的言论让人感到沮丧，他们似乎有着各种各样的烦恼。我忍不住问：“既然我们是基督徒，为什么还会如此消沉？难道我们不知道这些事情最终的结局吗？”我所指的不仅是基督里永生的应许，还有圣经中关于上帝眷顾祂子民的许多应许。导师只是微微一笑，便继续讲课了。但这番话却一直留在我的脑海里，多年未曾忘怀。后来，生活的重击降临在我身上。失业、丧亲、疾病接踵而至，让我倍感沮丧。诚然上帝的应许既真实又安慰人，但祂并未应许我们能过上安逸的生活。耶稣曾说，我们在世上“会有苦难”（约翰福音 16:33）。

我们自然会感受到这些苦难带来的冲击，正如当年的约伯一样。他经受了严峻的考验，且打击沉重：他失去了儿女、家产和健康（约伯记 1:13-20；2:7）。他的朋友们前来探望并安慰他（2:11-13）。起初，他们只是默默地陪伴这位朋友，体察到“他受的苦甚大”（13节）。但随后，他们开始提出一些无益的问题，这与我在圣经课上提出的问题颇为相似。当我们经历忧伤时，我们会记起神应许所带来的安慰。这样，当我们遇到身处困境的人们，圣灵就能帮助我们以爱心和怜悯去回应。

反思与祷告在艰难时刻，朋友曾如何帮助过你？你又该如何运用体贴的心和属灵的洞察力去帮助他人？慈爱的神，求祢教导我在体恤他人时运用智慧。