Life is hard, and some seasons of life are even harder. In this 6-day series, we are going to walk through the do’s and don’ts of coping with hardship using the book of Job as our example. Each day there will be a couple of chapters referenced in the devotional. Be sure to click on them to read the passages for yourself.
Let’s start in Job 3. It’s here that we begin to feel the weight of Job’s anguish. He’s expressing at least passive wishes for death if not overt suicidal thinking. In the counseling field, we’d be writing up a safety plan and diagnosing with clinical depression if it lasted two weeks or more. He’s not okay and he needs help.
In Job 5:17-27, Job’s friend Eliphaz does what many well-meaning Christians do when their friends are hurting: he proof-texts Job. The book of Job was written down before other parts of the Bible, so there aren’t specific Scriptures referenced. However, the approach is the same as quoting parts of the Bible to people. “You’re sad? Here’s a few Bible verses that explain everything!” Yes, it’s true. But is it helpful?
Instead of proof-texting yourself or your hurting friends and telling them to apply the Bible to their lives, try seeking wisdom. Wisdom isn’t just about knowing what’s true or even about applying truth to your life. It’s about connecting with God. Job shows us how to do this when we are grieving or facing hardship in chapter 28 verses 23-28. Here Job captures the depth of what it means to follow God and to know God. Seeking wisdom means seeking him in the midst of hardship. Go with him to the ends of the earth to find a truly supernatural treasure. Often we don’t have the capacity to go there except in the midst of suffering.