“Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good.” – Job 34:2-4
Elihu steps into the conversation in the book of Job with youthful passion and boldness. He is younger than Job and younger than Job’s friends, yet he speaks with conviction, believing he has something important to add. Though he misjudges some things, he also brings forward spiritual truths that still help us today. In Job 34:2–4, he reminds them that just as the palate tastes food, the ear tests words. In other words, we must learn to discern—chew on what is good, spit out what is not. The New Testament echoes this same call: “Test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and “Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Elihu continues by pointing out something many of us struggle with: when life gets hard, we often question God rather than seek Him. He says, “Although you say you do not see Him, yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him” (Job 35:14). Instead of crying out to God, praising Him, or trusting Him, we complain. We let bitterness creep in. We speak from wounded hearts rather than surrendered ones. Elihu wasn’t perfect in his assessment, but he was right about this—when we don’t understand what God is doing, our mouths often run faster than our faith.
The truth is, waiting on God is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life. Job felt abandoned. His friends felt confident. Elihu felt passionate. But God was working in ways none of them could see. And isn’t that often the case with us? We assume God is silent when He is actually shaping us. We think He is distant when He is drawing us closer. We think He is ignoring us when He is preparing something greater than we imagined.
Whatever you are facing today, are you blaming God or trusting Him? Are you complaining or crying out? Are you speaking from frustration or waiting in faith? If you feel like you “do not see Him,” remember Elihu’s words: “Justice is before Him.” God has not forgotten you. He has not overlooked your situation. Praise Him in the dark. Trust Him in the silence. Wait on Him with expectation. He will answer—and He may be using this very season to draw you closer than ever before.
“The heart that listens to God will never be misled by the noise of men.” — Warren W. Wiersbe
surrendered devotions 