Give Up and Get Out or Carry On?

O. T. #1125  "Give Up and Get Out or Carry On?"
Jan. 3, 2018
Job 6
God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.  Psalm 73:26b

LET IT GLOW

According to David Jeremiah, Job made two mistakes in his attempt to help Job:

1. He made all suffering sin.
2. He said that all righteousness is rewarded and that all sin is judged.

Eliphaz assumed he knew the cause of Job's sufferings. He believed that if Job would submit to the chastening of the Almighty, he would reap a harvest of blessing.

Now let's hear Job's response-my righteousness still stands. Job's friends seemed more intend on arguing their points than trying to understand Job's situation. What does arguing prove in the long run?

Job used several metaphors to describe his suffering in verses 2-7:

1. sand of the sea, which implies a vast amount;
2. a profound weight;
3. shot with arrows, an OT expression for judgment;
4. tasteless, like the white of an egg. ((The Jeremiah Study Bible)

To Job, life has lost its pleasures. His complaint is justifiable, so Job thinks. He is deep down in grief and misery. It is better to listen politely to one suffering in severe trials, showing compassion, than give advice. Job wanted to give in, give up, and die. (verses 8-9) Did God grant Job's request? No. God had a greater plan for Job's life.


LET IT GROW

Don't I have a right to complain? Paul tells us to do all things without murmurings and disputings, in Philippians 2:14. No grumbling or arguing? Do all things in that manner? So many times I fail at this instruction.

According to NLT, verses 10-11, Job says, At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One. But I don't have the strength to endure-I have nothing to live for.

He can just take so much. Job recognizes that he is not made of stone or metal. We are only made of flesh and bones. They decay and over time our body wears out. Some days we realize that more than other days, especially after we turn 60, huh?

We tend to want to give up and get out when the going gets rough. When our limits are tested and our faith has been stretched to the limit, we find out what we are made of. Are we trusting that God is in control and will take care of us? Been there, done that. It's easy to quit, but difficult to continue on, get back in there, press on. Ask God for strength to carry on, friend, as the key verse says.

Is anything stealing our joy, or trying to do so? Praise God in the midst, dear one. Start being a giver and a liver, living, not the organ. There ain't nothing goin' a steal my joy, as the song goes. Put our hope in Jesus, and He will be our strength to carry on.

LET IT GO

Put those painful things behind, in last year, and start a new year.
Let my disappointments become appointments with God.
Rely on God and carry on, not giving up and getting out.