"Double for Your Trouble"

by Frederick Drummond

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.

Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.

He also had seven sons and three daughters.

And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.

In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.

So Job died, old and full of days.

Job 42:10-17

Wow! What a happy ending that man had! Imagine all of your losses being restored so beautifully. Do you suppose that this is how God wants all of us to end up—blessed and with double for our trouble? My answer to this is a confident yes, because I believe in a good God who is a rewarder of the faithful who diligently seek Him. What He did for Job, He can do for you also.

I am convinced that it is always on His heart to bless and prosper His people. He is the God of plenty, and abundance is a sign of His favor. It has always been this way. Don’t allow hard times to confuse you. “Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, ‘Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant’” (Psalm 35:27). It is a blessing to live right. Only bad religion believes otherwise.

Notwithstanding, I am not trying to deny that God’s people don’t sometimes go through hard times. Everything has a season. Occasionally some even lose everything, but does this mean that they will never recover? Certainly not. Keep in mind that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes God allows us to go through training experiences to qualify us for future success. Occasionally, poor life choices put us behind the eight ball. I also know that your family relationships affect the quality of your life, as does your church and even society at large. I am also aware that the extent of God’s blessings can be limited to where and when you are living. For example, if you were one of the starving masses in drought-stricken Sudan, it would affect how God blesses you, just as much as it would if you lived in downtown Manhattan or Dubai. Nevertheless, don’t forget this: neither geography nor circumstances change God’s heart towards us. He is committed to showing us how to live the God life and end up with more than our unbelieving neighbors.

Job’s losses were unique. He was a God-blessed man who faced tragic circumstances, because God allowed satan to rob him. Why? From the beginning, He had every intention of doubling Job’s losses if he would remain faithful. Job’s faith foreshadowed the glories of grace for every generation that followed. Few have lost so much in so short a period of time, and even less have gained back double for their trouble in the end. Truly Job showed us all how to live under pressure without losing your faith.

How are we supposed to get back double for our trouble these days? I know many don’t. The world is full of bitter people like Esau, who had such a desperate view of things that he sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils. Don’t act like Esau; do what Job did, and you will get what he got!
What does it take to avoid ending up like that man and getting double for your trouble instead?
Here is Job’s secret. His life was guided by genuine, heartfelt integrity. Interestingly enough, the word “integrity” is used more often in the book of Job, referring to his commitment to God, than of anyone else in any other book in the Bible.

Job 2:3—“… And still he holds fast to his integrity….”

Job 2:9—… “Do you still hold fast to your integrity?…”

Job 27:5—“…Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.”

Job 31:6—“…That God may know my integrity.”

The integrity of Job ran deep. It is obvious that long before he faced his trials, he settled what was important to him. He was practiced at putting God first and counting on Him at all times. We can learn a little more about the quality of his integrity from further interpretations from the Hebrew text—“completeness, wholeness, moral innocence; to be unimpaired.” Job’s life choices were a product of his love for God. When his troubles came and he lost everything and was sick nigh unto death, there was no doubt in his heart that he wasn’t going to blame God, or anyone else for that matter. He knew in his “knower” that it was a spiritual trial, and that before it was all over with, God would come through for him; and He did.

He never allowed himself to become more astonished by his circumstances than by his confidence in a good God. He knew that the God whom he served had led him thus far, guided him in everything, continually blessed him, and would come through for him again. He wasn’t sure how he got into such a mess, but he knew God would see him through anyway. This word “integrity” in Hebrew literature is also used in reference to being “entirely consumed” by something. Allow me to go deeper. Job had such trust in God that he had no more room left in himself for anything else.

I am persuaded that this was the powerhouse that undergirded the grace that Job was able to move in to survive his terrible losses. His integrity was founded in the genuineness of his relationship to God. Because of this he could utter those immortal words, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation, for a hypocrite could not come before Him. Listen carefully to my speech, and to my declaration with your ears. See now, I have prepared my case, I know that I shall be vindicated. Who is he who will contend with me? If now I hold my tongue, I perish” (Job 13:15-19).

These Scriptures confirm our suspicions.

I trust Him. v. 15a
He was a consummate “believer.”

I will defend my own ways before Him. v. 15b
He was “bold” in what he believed.”

I have prepared my case. v. 18a
He was bold to “build” on what he believed.

I know that I shall be vindicated. v. 18b
He was bold to build on what he believed, assured of God’s “blessings.”

This was Job’s secret. It is why God doubled his wealth in the end. He gave him double for his trouble and recorded the whole affair in the Holy Scriptures so that we would be inspired to follow in his footsteps.

Christian, no matter what you are going through, your end can be better than your beginning. This is God’s promise to those who love Him. Be assured, our God is truly “the God of hope” (Romans 15:13); so don’t throw away your integrity when things go wrong. Stand firm and take your licks, assured that God is for you. Keep the faith. Your perseverance will pay off in the end.

I have no doubt that God offers us all double for our trouble when we follow Job’s example. As I have already said, the key is integrity—don’t ever get over your heartfelt commitment to the goodness of God. Be assured, He will honor you if you honor Him.