Hope in Self, or in God? (I)

Job expresses ruthless honesty. As a result of his massive losses, life loses all meaning. He therefore desires for God to take his life (chapter 3). He also expresses intense anger with God (7). In a confrontation, like a ravenous lion (10) or a merciless warrior (16), God would overpower him. Our losses may also lead us to some of those same feelings: depression, anger, or fear.

Job’s one hope, however, is his innocence. Also a lot like us, he feels he doesn’t deserve the suffering he experiences. Therefore, in an effort to obtain justice, Job’s one last hope rests in a lawsuit. The idea dawns on him early (9). He explores it further (13), and climaxes it with a legal writ to force God to act (31). God must now declare him innocent, and thereby admit Himself wrong in punishing Job.

While Job’s responses represent understandable human emotions in loss, the one factor they have in common is their focus on the Self. When life periodically hits us between the eyes, maybe at times we also want, like Job, to twist God’s arm to admit he wronged us.

 

About Grose

Gordon Grose loves most to write, speak, and preach on the message of hope from the book of Job. Using drama, video, and PowerPoint, he has preached and presented this message of hope to churches around the country. Grose pastored three congregations 25 years, then served 12 years as a pastoral counselor in a Portland, Oregon counseling clinic. He now serves with Good Samaritan Counseling Services, Beaverton, OR. A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Brandeis University, and Boston University, he comes from a rich and varied background in theological and counseling training. In 2015, Gordon published Tragedy Transformed: How Job's Recovery Can Provide Hope For Yours, a book about turning to Job for hope after tragedy. If you have experienced life challenges or personal tragedy, visit his Transforming Tragedy (gordongrose.com) blog to learn more. TragedyTransformed.com provides a sample of Gordon's speaking as well as an opportunity to purchase copies of his book.
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