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JOB 19: Suffering Produces ... HOPE?
Job 19:
7 “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. 8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. 9 He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. 10 He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. 11 His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. 12 His troops advance in force; they build a siege ramp against me and encamp around my tent. 13 “He has alienated my family from me; my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. 14 My relatives have gone away; my closest friends have forgotten me.
REJOICE … SUFFERING … ENDURANCE … CHARACTER …
HOPE
Once upon a time I thought Romans 5:34 was crazy talk:
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope … (ESV)
Early in life, especially as a young adult, my life bounced between two beliefs: 1) I was FAST and I could avoid suffering 2) I was STRONG and I could overcome suffering
Suffering, without thinking about it, was the enemy. And I was programmed like a frightened animal to FLEE or FIGHT anything or anyone who might bring suffering into my world. The name of the game was to use my feet or my fists (metaphorically or even literally) to keep suffering far away from me.
Neither belief ever worked for me, even for a few moments. Operating in that kind of tension and stress has all kinds of physical, social, and spiritual side effects. And those consequences quickly caught up to me before I turned 30.
Many pieces of the life I wanted seemed to be in place. But others were misplaced.
And many were missing. I knew something was wrong, painfully wrong with my core values and core beliefs. But I was too busy avoiding suffering to slow down and contemplate what to do about the missing and misplaced pieces.
And then. The suffering caught up to me. Divorce and custody battles will do that to devoted parents. Anxiety and depression will do that to prayerful believers. Overwork, stress and financial woes will do that to dedicated workers. The harder I worked, the worse things got. And the worse things got, the harder I worked.
It was a vicious cycle. And I couldn’t possibly see how much it was driven by denial.
Denial of a core fear. The real thing I was running from. The belief I didn’t want to confront, admit, or even see.
How do I know for certain that I am loved?
I didn’t know then that the very question is designed to bring suffering. Three words in the question and one little word that is missing … but implied … are messed up in ways that I can’t possibly explain in a short devotion. Or even a long one. But each brings its own suffering.
KNOW … CERTAIN … LOVED … by …
Each word had its own silent enemy:
KNOW (Doubt) … CERTAIN (Fear) … LOVED (Kill) … by (ANYONE)
One draft of the silent opposite statement is so very true for most of us at some time in our lives:
We DOUBT that we are loved by ANYONE and we FEAR it will KILL us.
Facing this statement, facing this fear, facing this doubt is the heart of much of our existential suffering. The suffering that lasts long after the bones and burns have healed, after the health crisis is over, after the bad relationship is buried, after the funeral is over.
There is a part of our suffering that reminds us about how lonely life can get, how long a lonely life will seem, and how much longer eternity will feel unless we can find hope.
And in our loneliness, where can we possibly turn for hope? God. They say. Turn to God. They tell us. And God will save you.
And that's exactly what Job says in Chapter 19 as he wrestles with God. And then in the midst of his wrestling, he makes a bold profession of faith:
I know that my redeemer lives, Job says in chapter 19, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
I've always wondered if underneath the profession of faith Job was still wrestling with the existential doubt he was directing at God:
I DOUBT that I am loved by GOD and I FEAR it will DESTROY me
How do I let go of the Doubt and Fear that so often confounds my Faith?
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. FORGIVE them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be KIND anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. SUCCEED anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be HONES and SINCERE anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. CREATE anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be HAPPY anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do GOOD anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your BEST anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
~Mother Teresa” MAJOR THEMES of JOB
Admitting the HARD REALITIES of Life. And Death.
Suffering is a given. For everyone.
Do we REACT more out of Fear?
Or RESPOND more out of Faith?
Asking the HARD QUESTIONS
What is Good and what is Bad? How do we really know?
Refuting the EASY QUESTIONS
We are tempted to trivialize the Challenges others face.
Is Advice ever helpful?
Affirming the Majestic Mysteries of Heaven AND Earth
Who can contemplate the beginning of Creation? Or the End?
Beware of believing WE understand God ... or God's purpose(s)
SIX STUDIES IN JOB
JOB 1: Cause of the Suffering
JOB 2: Reactions to Suffering
JOB 10: Grief and Bad Theology
JOB 19: Response to Bad Theology
JOB 38: Response from the Storm
JOB 42: Job Repents and Forgives