When Life Hits You Where It Hurts

WHEN LIFE HITS YOU WHERE IT HURTS

JOB 2:1-10

1. INTRODUCTION. EVERY NOW AND THEN, LIFE SEEMS TO BE UNCERTAIN AND UNFAIR. IT APPEARS THAT EVERY TIME WE MAKE A STEP FORWARD, WE FIND OURSELVES TAKING SEVERAL STEPS BACKWARD. FOR SOME, LIFE IS LIKE A CRUST OF BREAD AND A CORNER TO SLEEP IN, A MINUTE TO SMILE AND AN HOUR TO WEEP IN. A PINT OF JOY TO A PECK OF TROUBLE, NEVER A LAUGH BUT THE MOANS COME DOUBLE. RELATIONSHIPS/JOBS, HOME

2. THE TEXT. LAST WEEK WE DISCOVERED THAT SATAN SHOW UP UNINVITED AND UNEXPECTEDLY. NOW WE SEE JOB AT THE PINNACLE OF DESPAIR.

a) HE HAS LOST HIS POSSESSIONS.

b) WEALTH.

c) CHILDREN.

d) NOW HIS HEALTH.

e) TO AMPLIFY HIS AGONY, IT APPEARS THAT HIS WIFE IS INSENSITIVE TO HIS PLIGHT.

f) THE LAST THING A PERSON FACING PERPLEXING DIFFICULTIES NEEDS IS INSENSITIVITY AND MISUNDERSTANDING.

g) HE IS PLAGUE WITH PAINFUL SORE BOILS…

h) HE IS IN SUCH A STATE THAT VERSE 12 INFORMS US THAT HE WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE.

3. THE CHALLENGE TO BE FAITHFUL.

a) WE MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD.

b) VERSES 3 & 9 DEMONSTRATE THAT JOB MAINTAINED HIS INTEGRITY.

c) EXPLAIN INTEGRITY.

d) EVEN AT THE APEX OF HIS ANGUISH, VRSE 10 TEACHES THAT JOB DID NOT SIN.

e) WE MUST HONOR AND PRAISE GOD EVEN WHEN WE ARE HURTING. JOB SAID IN CHAPTER ONE, THE LORD GAVE AND THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.

f) 1 COR. 15:58 TEACHES THAT WE MUST BE STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE,.

g) MUST MUST NOT FEEL AS IF GOD IS FORSAKING US. PSALMS 37:25 TEACHES, “I HAVE BEEN YOUNG, AND NOW AM OLD; YET HAVE I NOT SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN, NOR HIS SEED BEGGING BREAD.”

4. THREE POINTS.

a) IN THE MIDST OF HIS DAUNTING DILEMMA, JOB WAS NOT DISTRACTED FROM HIS FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD. JOB 13:15, THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST IN HIM.”

b) NO MATTER HOW DARK AND DISMAL HIS CIRCUMSTANCE, HE DID NOT GIVE IN. NO MAS (11/25/80). WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AND THEY SOMETIMES WILL, WHEN THE ROAD YOU ARE TRUDGING SEEMS ALL UP HILL. WHEN FUNDS ARE LOW AND DEBTS ARE HIGH, YOU WANT TO SMILE BUT YOU HAVE TO SIGH. WHEN YOUR CARES ARE PRESSING YOU DOWN A BIT; REST IF YOU MUST BUT DON’T YOU QUIT.

c) HE DID NOT LET THE OPINION OF OTHERS, PLANT SEEDS OF DOUBT WITHIN HIM. (CLIMATE CONTROL).

d) MY OWN TESTIMONY.

e) DISCOURAGED WITHOUT BEING DISILLUSIONED