Can we see the Gold that is hidden in the mess?

I had been reading Job, not too long ago. I have to admit that it’s not one of my favourite books to read. It can be a bit sad and depressing.

Job suffers, and then his friends come to comfort him by judging him and telling him to turn back to God. Even though Job never turned away from God, in the first place.

This time as I read Job, I saw that one of Job’s friends actually gives Job a word of prophecy that is good, but it is hidden by the not so nice stuff he speaks to him in the same breath.

Job 8 1-7

8 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

² “How long will you say such things?
    Your words are a blustering wind.
³ Does God pervert justice?
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
⁴ When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
⁵ But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead with the Almighty,
⁶ if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
    and restore you to your prosperous state.
⁷ Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous will your future be.

In the above passage we can see that it appears that Bildad has got it so wrong and so right, all in the same breath.

Just re-read verses 5-7 and you can see where he looks to have got it right, with a word of prophecy. Job was rightrighteous and did seek The Lord, and he was more greatly blessed after his time of trials. (We are told this at the end of the book of Job, Job 42:10.)

So, can you see why I think that verses 5-7 are words of prophecy?

I can also see very easily why they were missed by Job, (and me for many readings). They were hidden by the not so good stuff that Bildad said right before he brought the good stuff.
How much better would it have been if Bildad didn’t say verses 1-4 but only brought 5-7 instead?

So Bildad seems to have got it wrong by bringing verses 1-4, but did Job get it wrong by missing verses 5-7?

I do think that this is a harsh thing to ask, as I missed it for so many times, even though I knew the final outcome. But it is still actually there.

When you are suffering, your thinking can go a bit wrong, because you are suffering. And Job was suffering in the biggest way when the word was spoken to him. So it’s no surprise that Job heard the harsh words Bildad brought instead of the words of prophecy. I think I would have missed them too. (I did miss them, many times.)

Can we learn anything from this?
Are there times when we miss the good stuff that God has for us because it’s wrapped up in with a load of nonsense? Offensive nonsense?
If we try to help someone who is suffering, do we wrap up our good words (words from God) with offensive nonsense words (words from ourselves that are wrong)?

It’s made me stop, think and ponder.

My Heavenly Father,
You do indeed Love me and have Good things for me.
Please help me to see the Good that You have for me and to let go of the nonsense.
Please help to not bring nonsense to others.
Please stop me in some way if I’m about to get it wrong.
Please help me to be someone who will bring Your Good blessings to others.
If a tough word is needed, then please help me to bring it in a way so that it can be seen and recieved as a blessing from You.
My Loving Lord God Almighty.
Amen.