Job 10:1-3 - "I
am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. I will speak in the
bitterness of my soul. I will say to
God, 'Don't simply condemn me -- tell me the charge you are bringing against
me. What do you gain by oppressing me?
Why do you reject me, the work of your own hands, while sending joy and
prosperity to the wicked?
Job was so frustrated…he had shared his heart with the
friends who came to comfort him…and got nothing but more confusion and
pain. He had reached the point in his pain
that he needed answers…and he just did not see the point in living life anymore.
He was one straw away from giving in…one emotion shy of blaming God and
believing that God was out to get him.
His speech reminded me of David’s many Psalms…crying out to
God in his hiding from king Saul. Oh how
he must have shared Job’s deep frustration and grief. He had been anointed as a young teen to be
king…and found himself running and hiding from his enemies. Psalm 102:1-5 paints
much the same pain as Job’s… “ A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble,
pouring out problems before the LORD. LORD, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don't turn away from me in my time of
distress. Bend down your ear and answer me quickly when I call to you, for my days disappear like smoke, and my bones
burn like red-hot coals. My heart is
sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite. Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin
and bones.”
The big difference in those two cries to God are
simple. Job called out to God in pain
and wanted answers. Job cried out from
his pain and wanted to give up. Job
cried out from his massive pity party…and told God what he wanted. David cried out to God in his deep confusion
and pain too…but his prayer was a plead to stay close to him. David’s cry called for God to wrap him even
tighter in his arms and protect him from whatever came next. Job wanted to give
up…David wanted strength to keep fighting.
What is really cool is that God loves us either way….he put
up with Job’s pity party…and loved him just the same. And he listened to David’s
cry for help…and comforted him in those caves. And now their stories are a
great reminder for me…for I am way to much like Job when things get tough. I want answers…and call out from the pity
party I formed around me…even if it is just me and God. I need to be more like
David…and call out to God to give me the strength I need to keep going. I am
very sure of one thing… we will gain more strength from God’s love when we have
the right attitude.
Father…thank you for loving me despite the mistakes and pity
parties I seem to attend way to often. Help
me to remember David’s prayer of strength the next time I send myself an
invitation to wallow in my own problems too long. Show me how to pray like
David did in those caves…so you will come and comfort me. Amen.
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