Lessons learned from Job #3
Coping with discouragement
Job Chapter three
Introduction-
For the last two weeks, we have looked at Job and what happened to him.
We saw that he was attacked by losing possessions, wealth, his family, and while he was trying to get a grip on what was happening, we see he was physically attacked to his body with boils that covered him from head to toe.
He was a mess if anyone was a mess.
He believed God had done these things to him yet in chapter one and chapter two, they end by saying that in all this, Job did not sin or think that God had done him wrong.
His wife had tried to get him to curse God so that he would die and get relief of his pain.
Chapter two ends with 3of Job friends coming on scene to bring him comfort and advice.
Summary for this morning- Only God can get to the root of discouragement and depression.
He alone answers the hard questions, sometimes, even the ones we don’t know to ask.
He can use other people to help and to be our comfort when we are hurting.
Prayer-
Job 3:1-26
That is one hurting man.
That is a heart that is broken and laid wide open before God.
This sounds like a man that is yelling at God, crying out to God, one in need of someone to comfort him.
One who is looking for love and someone to step into his life.
Someone to show him that their life matters.
2:11-13
“When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Teminate, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and meet together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”
Let that sit in a moment- Those were some good friends. To stay there for seven full days with him because they saw how great the need was.
They met together and that was what they decided. To get with him and say nothing for seven days.
He was so disheveled that they did not recognize him. He was physically un-kept and must have been that worn out it changed his facial features. He had been crying, starving, throat horse probably from yelling at God, yet he had nothing to say to them.
They were there but in Job mind, I don’t think he cared.
They grieved for their friend. They had a plan and that plan was to let him know that they cared by showing up.
Sometimes showing up can be the best thing you can do and talking is optional- Amen. Sometimes we just need a warm body that says they care.
Most scholars believe that Job is in monolog instead of dialog. Job is almost talking to himself. Telling himself what is going on in his life. I know his three friends could of heard him, God was certainly listening, but he just exploded with emotions.
He is not the same confident man of faith that we saw in chapter one as this was unraveling in his life.
He is no longer the one who keeps his feelings to himself.
Here, we see Job focusing on the past, and desiring that his life never had a beginning.
Wish he was never born
Wish he had died at birth
Wish he would die right now
That is a man with some issues that needs to be dealt with.
Illustration-
The only survivor of a ship wreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. He eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut was in flames, the smoke rolling up the sky. It was just more than he could take. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this to me!” the next day he woke to the sound of a ship coming to rescue him. Astonished by his sudden change of luck he asked, how did you know I was here? The crew member answered, we saw your smoke signal.”
In our times of despair, we do not see the good in anything and it is hard to focus.
One of my favorite scripture verses is Romans 8:28- ‘And we know that in all things God works for good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
It is hard to be all in on God when you think God is the one that is doing these things to you.
That verse is preceded by verses on prayer.
Because we do not know what to pray for in our weakness, the Holy Spirit of God is invited to help us pray, gives us words to be praying, so that God is invited into the relationship.
If you are taking notes-
Job cried out is despair
Job cries out to God and at God! He is beside himself and is feeling pain that he does not know what to do with.
Have you ever felt that way? Have you at some point thought that God has turned against you?
I think most of us have at some point.
God created each of us, He knows what emotions we feel because He gave them to us.
It is ok… to experience them but we must recognize them for what they are.
We pretend with others we don’t feel them because… we shouldn’t feel that way.
We rationalize that we are more mature than falling apart and not being in control.
Why do people get stuck in their spiritual life?
Because they feel trapped and powerless. The reason they feel powerless is because they have no vent in which to release these feelings.
Job cried out to God! And God began to do a works.
Why do people not grow up in their faith?
Because they never see the big picture! Until you have the freedom to cry out to a Holy God,
A God who is bigger and smarter than you, you feel like you have to carry this whole load on your shoulders.
Here is a shocker! God is not surprised That Job could not handle it. He never expected Job to get through this by himself.
Illustration-
My first church as a youth pastor was in a town called Fearnot. Fearnot, Pa. and on the front wall of the Fearnot Church was the verse from Isaiah 41:10 “ Fearnot, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
The scope of this verse is to silence fear and encourage strength.
This verse is God encouraging the nation of Israel who was in captivity, but it sure fits our love for our savior Jesus Christ who on this side of the cross certainly can offer us up faith. Amen.
That we may depend on him when we have our backs up against a wall.
When we do not know what we are fighting against.
That we may see that an all sufficient God has not given up on us.
I’ve started a video series, I am calling thinking out loud- the last one on how much God loves us- how he will pursue us and will do whatever he can to draw us to himself. When we are crying out to God, He hears us and He is drawing us to Himself do that we may sense God’s presence during those hard times.
Job seeks comfort
His friends Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar. The ones that were willing to sit on the ground with a broken man and offer the only thing they could at this time- they offered themselves. They offered a listening ear.
Boy did he give them a ear full.
In the thick of Job’s trials, he curse the day he was born, but he never curse his God.
Which opened up opportunity for God to minister to him.
Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ...
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.
Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Job sought comfort even when he did not know comfort is what he needed.
Many want God only when it is convenient and does not cost anything!
Job wanted God to respond/ God where are you? Why don’t you answer me? What did I do for this to happen?
“At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
When his wife was still asking him if he was “still maintaining his integrity”- he replied, “Shall we accept good from God, and not troubles.”
Job found comfort by pressing into the presence of God. Where most people pull away, even though he was hurt, even though, he did not have answers, even though, he thought God was doing this to him, he chose to press into God and not away from him.
When we are humbled, God applies healing salve.
When we are broken, we hear from God when all the noise stops.
We all want prosperity, perfect kids, best house, perfect job- when we are in a trail of our life, we can see God for all his beauty and awesomeness!
Job sought comfort from his friends and it is not until he sought comfort from the Lord that his situation will change.
Job asks God for answers
He asks God the why questions-
Why did this happen?
Why have you not stepped in?
Why do I feel the way that I do?
Many are afraid to ask God the why questions. They somehow think that they will offend God if they ask.
God can handle your questions if you are able to handle his answers.
God did not strike him down for asking questions,
Psalm 13:5-6
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
Psalm 10:14
“But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless”
“We serve a God who wants us to cry out to him with all the questions on our heart.”
God doesn’t promise to answer all of our questions. Like Job, we may never know why some things have happened to us. But in Christ he has given us the answer to what we desperately need most:
On this side of the cross
Jesus says
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28–29)
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)
Close,
As we close, I don’t know everything you are going through, but I care, better still, God cares.
May the God of comfort bring the peace of God for what you are going through. May the Lord of host shine his light into your situation and bring you what you need.
If you want prayer this morning for a particular thing in your life I am going to ask you to move to the move. Once everyone is here who wants to be here, I am going to prayer and ask God to intervene in those circumstances. We are not going to mention them because God knows- We are just going to pray.
Gracious heavenly Father, for each one of these people who have moved front and expressed a need for you to do something miraculous, I am asking you to do it. Wither it is spiritual, physical, emotional, or financial- would you meet a need this morning?
Our God is a healer-
Our God is a provider-
Our God is a savior-
Our God will not abandon us….
Amen.
