Job understood something his friends did not: God’s truth stands even when people misread your situation. In contrast, Eliphaz built his entire argument on one shaky foundation—“what I have seen” (Job 15:17). He trusted his experiences more than God’s revelation, and it led him to wrong conclusions about Job and about God.
That same danger still follows us. Experience can teach us many things, but it does not always teach us the truth.
How Experience Misguides Us
1. It breeds cynicism.
Wounds from people can train us to withhold trust. But Scripture calls us to love and reminds us that God is faithful even when others are not.
2. It limits our expectations.
If we’ve never seen breakthrough, experience whispers that change is impossible. Yet the Word declares that with God, all things are possible.
3. It forms false conclusions.
Like Eliphaz, we may assume suffering is always tied to sin. But Scripture—and the Cross—show that the innocent often suffer for purposes far deeper than punishment.
The Better Teacher: God’s Word
Experience is subjective, shaped by emotion and memory. God’s Word is objective, steady, and true.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
The psalmist doesn’t say, “My past is a lamp.” Your past may inform you, but only God’s Word can guide you.
Truth Over “My Truth”
The Christian life isn’t built on “In my experience…” It’s built on “The Bible says…”
Whether you’ve felt His comfort or not, He is the Comforter.
Whether you’ve seen a mountain move or not, He is the Mountain Mover.
We don’t believe the Word because we experienced it. We experience God’s peace because we first believed His Word.
Reflection Question
Where have my past experiences shaped my view of God more than His Word, and what step can I take today to let Scripture lead instead of memory?