A Natural Response [Job 3]
1Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 20"Why is light given to him who suffers, And life to the bitter of soul, 21Who long for death, but there is none, And dig for it more than for hidden treasures, 22Who rejoice greatly, And exult when they find the grave? 23"Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, And whom God has hedged in? 24"For my groaning comes at the sight of my food, And my cries pour out like water. 25"For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread befalls me. 26"I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes."“If only I had never been born.” When we are in a lot of pain, both physically and emotionally, this thought is a natural reaction. Job is also asking why. "Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter of soul?”
Can you imagine how much pain Job was in? He was trying to do some soul searching but all he could feel was self-pity. He even had glimpses of wishing that he were dead.
"Who long for death, but there is none, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice greatly,and exult when they find the grave?" Haven’t you had these thoughts? What has God ministered to your heart when you are in the midst of feeling sorry for yourself? What would you say if you were the friend sitting by Job’s bed? Later in the story God Himself challenges Job’s thinking with the truth. We will come back to each of Job’s questions to see how God answered him. But for now we need to recognize that this is a natural response to great pain and suffering. God did let Job ponder through these questions – there is room to do that. Job will come back around to the truth that God choose him and formed him while he was in his mother’s womb for a very specific purpose. (Jeremiah 1:5-6)
Lord, we praise You that our story is Your story. You have chosen us and formed us for a specific reason. Thank You that You let pain bring up those inner fears that we are not even aware are prowling under the surface. And you answer them at just the right time with your truth – “Yes, my daughter/son, You are very valuable to Me. I do have a reason for you to be alive.”
Verna McCrillis, 1/15/2011