It Is Okay to Grieve
At last Job spoke and he cursed the day of his birth. He said:
"Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
Let that day be turned to darkness.
Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it . . .
Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months . . .
Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see this trouble . . .
Why didn't I die as I came from the womb? . . .
Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest . . .
Why wasn't I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?
For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest . . .
"Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?
They long for death, and it won't come.
They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. . .
Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? . . .
I have no peace, no quietness.
I have no rest; only trouble comes." Job 3:1-26
"Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived.
Let that day be turned to darkness.
Let it be lost even to God on high, and let no light shine on it . . .
Let that night be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the year, never again to appear among the months . . .
Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see this trouble . . .
Why didn't I die as I came from the womb? . . .
Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest . . .
Why wasn't I buried like a stillborn child, like a baby who never lives to see the light?
For in death the wicked cause no trouble, and the weary are at rest . . .
"Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter?
They long for death, and it won't come.
They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure. . .
Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? . . .
I have no peace, no quietness.
I have no rest; only trouble comes." Job 3:1-26
Job's life had been turned upside down. All he could see was a long dark tunnel with no end in sight. He saw no light at the end of the tunnel. He had lost everything: his children, his houses, his livestock, and all his wealth. What was there to live for?
Drowning in what seemed to be a rather hopeless situation, Job vented out his feelings of pain. The frailty of his humanity was coming through as he regretted his very birth. He wished he had died at birth. He cursed the day of his birth. With no hope in sight, Job was now longing for death, but even death was nowhere to be found! Job was grieving deeply.
As humans, it is normal to grieve when we find ourselves in devastating circumstances. There are times when our situations might seem so hopeless that we wish we had not been born. As we go through the grieving process, however, we must also remember God's promise that He will be with us through the "Valley of the Shadow of Death." God has made this promise: "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Isaiah 43:2-3).
Job grieved. He had numerous questions but he never gave up on God. He said that even if God were to slay him, he would still serve God.
May God strengthen you when you face adversity. Even when your mouth is filled with words of grief, like Job, may God grant you sufficient grace to hold unto your faith. It is okay to grieve but remember that God will never abandon you. He will bring you through just like He did for Job.
Drowning in what seemed to be a rather hopeless situation, Job vented out his feelings of pain. The frailty of his humanity was coming through as he regretted his very birth. He wished he had died at birth. He cursed the day of his birth. With no hope in sight, Job was now longing for death, but even death was nowhere to be found! Job was grieving deeply.
As humans, it is normal to grieve when we find ourselves in devastating circumstances. There are times when our situations might seem so hopeless that we wish we had not been born. As we go through the grieving process, however, we must also remember God's promise that He will be with us through the "Valley of the Shadow of Death." God has made this promise: "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." (Isaiah 43:2-3).
Job grieved. He had numerous questions but he never gave up on God. He said that even if God were to slay him, he would still serve God.
May God strengthen you when you face adversity. Even when your mouth is filled with words of grief, like Job, may God grant you sufficient grace to hold unto your faith. It is okay to grieve but remember that God will never abandon you. He will bring you through just like He did for Job.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for your faithfulness. Please help me to remember at all times that you are with me through every fire and every storm. Amen.