Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven–what can you do? Deeper than Sheol–what can you know? Job 11:7-8

There is always someone who has an opinion about what another person is going through. Many love to counsel that person with giving their opinion on how to deal with whatever situation that they are found to be in. Although some of the counsel may be good, very often they are based on the wrong baseline and become false or bad counseling.

Zophar asks Job is he could search out and know the deep things of God or the limits of God. Later he tells Job that he must repent of his sins to overcome the troubles he is in.

Standing on the outside the troubles that a person is going through can look entirely different than what is really occurring. It is easy for one to think of it as a problem of the individual’s choices when it may have absolutely nothing to do with the choices made. There are times when outside forces have brought on the trouble.

Believers in the church that are watching someone go through an extremely difficult time are quick to tell them to repent of any sin that they have done. This is often done because of the false belief that believers should never go through trouble unless they have done something wrong against God.

Zophar had it right when he stated that one cannot fully know the deep things of God. He did not understand that God was using the troubles to prove Job as righteous. Unless God gives full revelation, a believer cannot know fully what is going on.

Giving false counsel to repent will lead one down the wrong path. Believers must be careful in how they counsel ones going through trouble.

As you are watching a friend or loved one go through an extremely difficult time, be careful what counsel you give them. While there may be sin in that person’s life, it may also be a time of God proving them and building them up in their faith. Their lives may be a witness of God’s power in their lives.

Seek God first before you give counsel and see what He has to say and then say only that.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will reveal to you when you are giving false counsel; that God will open your eyes to what He is doing; and that you will trust God in your own life during difficult times.