Introduction

Good morning, church family!

There's a quote by Max Lucado, that I want to share with you this morning. He once said, "The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional." That, my friends, is where we find ourselves today in the book of Job, chapter 3, verses 17-20.

Hear the Word of the Lord:

"There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. There the prisoners are at ease together; they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster. The small and the great are there, and the slaves are free from their masters. 'Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures?'"

The Pain of Trouble

The pain of trouble is a universal experience, one that transcends time, culture, and circumstance. It is a theme that echoes through the pages of Scripture, from the trials of Job to the crucifixion of Christ. It is a theme that resonates with each of us, as we navigate the challenges of our own lives.

Job's lament: It’s a poignant expression of this pain. He speaks of the wicked who cease from troubling and the weary who find rest, of the prisoners who are at ease and the slaves who are free from their masters. These are not merely abstract concepts for Job; they are the raw realities of his own suffering. He is wrestling with the question of why light is given to those in misery, and life to the bitter in soul. He is grappling with the paradox of longing for death, yet not finding it, and digging for it more than for hidden treasures.

Its most visceral form: It is the anguish of the soul that cries out in despair, the heartache of the spirit that yearns for relief. It is the torment of the mind that struggles to make sense of suffering, the agony of the body that bears the brunt of affliction. It is the burden of the oppressed, the grief of the bereaved, the distress of the persecuted, the despair of the desolate.

A personal experience and a communal one: It is a shared burden that we carry together, as a church and as a society. It is a collective responsibility that we bear, to comfort the afflicted, to uphold the downtrodden, to stand with the marginalized, to advocate for the voiceless. It is a call to action, to demonstrate the love of Christ in tangible ways, to be His hands and feet in a hurting world.

A transformative purpose: It is a crucible that refines our character, a furnace that purifies our faith. It is a catalyst for growth, a stimulus for change. It is a teacher that imparts wisdom, a mentor that guides us toward maturity. It is a mirror that reflects our true selves, a lens that focuses our perspective. It is a reminder of our frailty, a testament to our resilience.

The Hope of Joy

The Hope of Joy is the belief that even in the midst of suffering and hardship, there is a promise of joy that surpasses all understanding ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO