The Saint In Depression Series

I read a humorous story that fits the experience of Job. A man

was on his roof trying to fix the TV antenna. Suddenly it began to

rain, and while struggling with the guy wires he slipped. As he

tumbled down the roof, he made a last ditch effort to grab the drain

trough. There he was, hanging from the edge, three stories up, and

in seconds his fingers began to tire. Desperately he struggled to hold

on, but his strength was nearly gone. Not knowing where to turn, he

looked up into the sky and asked, "Is there anyone up there who can

help me?" Sure enough, a cloud parted, and a voice came from

behind the cloud, "Believe and let go." The man starred blankly

into the sky for about 20 seconds, and then shouted,

"Is there anyone else up there who can help me?"

It is easy to understand why the man wanted a second opinion.

We always desire a second opinion when the first opinion is not

what we want to hear. If we do not like God's first response to our

prayer, we seek for a second response more favorable to our desires.

We are lovers of the second chance, and of the truth that, if at first

you don't succeed, try, try again. This is one of life's most joyous

positive facts. Thank God for the second chance. But there is

another side to this truth illustrated by our story. Life also gives us

a second chance to blow it. Doubt gets a second chance to

overwhelm faith, and cause you to question God's answer. You may

succeed today, but Satan will give you a second chance to fail

tomorrow. You may stand fast in the storm of affliction today, but

Satan was not discouraged, for he will give you another chance to

sink later on. Peter stood on water, but Satan gave him a second

chance and he sunk.

It is important that we see both sides of this picture. Just as we

never give up hope for the sinner, because as long as he is alive,

there is a chance he will repent, and open his heart to Christ, and

become a forgiven child of God. Satan never gives up on the

righteous saint either, for as long as he is alive, there is always the

chance that he will fall through temptation, or crack under pressure

and curse God. Just as no defeat in this life is final, so no victory is

the end of the battle, for in the next round Satan can lead us back

into defeat.

Job illustrates this truth so dramatically in chapter 3. Chapter

one draws to a close with Job saying, "The Lord gives and the Lord

takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Chapter two has Job

rebuking his wife for her pessimism, and saying, "Shall we receive

good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil?" Both these

first two chapters emphasize that Job did not sin with his lips.

There is just no doubt about it, Job won round one and two easy.

Satan got a lot of punches in, but Job never even said ouch. Now we

come to chapter three, and all the judges agree, this one goes to

Satan. Satan does not win the fight, for he said Job would curse

God, and it is to Job's eternal credit that he never did that. He did,

however, do some cursing, and that gave Satan this round.

Job so cursed the day of his birth, and his very existence, with

such hostility, it is understandable why this chapter is the first one

with no praise of Job. It does not say, he did not sin with his lips.

Satan gave Job a second chance to express his grief with rebellion,

and Job did it. Thank God! Yes, thank God, Job broke loose with

this bitter curse of his life. Without this crack in his armor, he

would be of little value for us to study. If Job was like a machine

that could take all the suffering he endured, and just keep smiling,

and saying that God is in heaven, and all is right with the world, the

book would have no message for us.

You might just as well study the rock of Gibraltar for insights

into life's meaning. If Job had never become depressed and hostile

in suffering, he would have nothing in common with the rest of

mankind. If Job never had to battle rebellion, we could not identify

with him anymore than we could with a bowling pin. It takes a lot

of punishment, but just keeps standing in there without complaint.

If you can find comfort in that fact, then you could enjoy Job