No, none of Job’s friends were able to find words to convince Job and give an answer to his words, as he was going through this deep and painful experience. Why was it so? Were his friends completely void of any wisdom? Well, it depends, for indeed true wisdom is not found in us. Why is it that sometimes our plans, our actions, the things that we had well prepared concerning our spiritual life or any service to the Lord, actually produce so little fruit for God—or none at all? Haven’t the chosen means and words taken for these plans been effective in the past?

We have to learn that wisdom is not in us, and, if our wise plans and actions did not work as we expected, it was so that we would not boast of having the necessary wisdom; especially in the work of God. This is why we read that God alone, not man, would make Job yield. This is a momentous lesson in regard to the Lord’s work. Paul exemplifies it when he writes, “My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4–5).

Any work in a soul is a work of God, done by God, by the means of His Word and by His Spirit, and according to His wisdom. It is not of us. This is also true for the salvation of the soul: we cannot open their eyes and convince them; it is a work of God (Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13; 1 Pet. 3:18). The same is true when it comes to convincing a child of God (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25; Phil. 3:15). Our only resource is to turn to God and ask for His wisdom so that His work may be produced in the heart. It is when we do so and act according to His wisdom that we can see His hand at work. Let us go to Him and ask wisdom for our various activities today, so that Christ’s name may be glorified.